


Blue Roses and Clay Hearts

by Jokester (orphan_account)



Series: Fics from back when smut was called Lemons and Quizilla was still around [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Mary Sue, Partying, Wet Dream, are you seeing the pattern yet?, im talkin seven minutes in heaven, im talkin the nervous game, im talkin truth or dare, old ass party games, yet again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 22:20:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 42,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10886073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Jokester
Summary: Another self-insert fic from waaay back when..... yeah. sorry lol





	1. Beginnings

Kurisutaru walked casually through the trees, hands in the pockets of her loose pants. The light flickered through the leaves. She stopped as the wind picked up, causing the green to change shades in the light. She smiled lightly, her eyes softening. She frowned suddenly, slowly bringing her hand to touch her left eye.

She snapped them open and quickly brought down her hand as a twig snapped. The blonde jumped behind a tree. Cautiously, she looked to see who it was, grabbing a sturdy branch with her right hand. The first thing she saw was a reddish glow, causing her to wince. Kurisutaru hated her eye, it was such a bother. Closing her clouded eye, she watched until a boy came into sight. He was a spiky blonde, a couple months younger maybe? He has saddened blue eyes and a soft, innocent face….

Kurisutaru shook her head. “No!” she murmured under her breath to herself, “Stop it! Bad Kuri! He’s just some random boy…..” Even as she said it, she didn’t believe it. Staring mindlessly at him, she could feel her checks warm up and her heart pound a little harder.

He looked her way and she came to her senses. Quickly she went back behind the tree. “Hello?” he called out to her.

She closed her eyes tightly and hoped her wouldn’t see her, hiding between the tree and her stick. Kurisutaru opened her eyes once she heard footsteps walk away. She gave a small sigh of relief and turned the opposite direction she thought he walked, only to find herself nose to nose with the boy.

Startled, she doubled back and punched. She watched through her blue eye as he crashed to the ground. Quickly covering up her other eye with her blonde hair, she crouched at his side. “I’m sorry!” she apologized, shocked at how much emotion went into it, “I-it was a reflex! I’m so- sorry! Are you alright?”

He lay there for a moment, holding his nose. “I’m used to people getting scared and running, not hitting me and then asking me if I was okay,” he chuckled, though Kurisutaru could tell it wasn’t a happy, “it’s okay” chuckle.

She supported him as he tried to sit up. She kept him up with one hand as she dug into her back pocket for healing supplies. Pulling out a bandage slightly in case she needed it, she pulled his hands down away from his nose. She put her fingers gently on it and, hesitantly, looked at him with her strange eye only. She smiled slightly. “I didn’t do too much damage,” she murmured to reassure herself more than him, “It’ll be fine. Let me just…” Creating a little chakra, she healed the tiny bruise on the bridge of his nose and pulled away.

He looked at her, astonished. “Did you just…?”

She gave him a nervous smile and nodded. He just looked at her, amazed, though there was a tiny hint of jealousy in his eyes. He looked away. Frowning, Kurisutaru cocked her head. “W-what’s wrong,” she asked hesitantly.

“I’ve been going to the Academy for a while and I still can’t even make a stupid Shadow Clone,” he spat under his breath, “And you can freak heal.”

“It was just a little tiny injury,” she muttered, “nothing to be proud of.”

“You can still do something!” Kurisutaru winced at the harsh words.

There was a moment of silence. “I have to go,” he murmured and began to run off.

“Wait!” she called after him, but he just kept running.

Kurisutaru knelt there, feeling rejected. She shook her head, feeling a small tear trying to make its way down her face. “This is why you don’t interact with others!” she yelled at herself, hitting a tree, “They’ll only let you down…”

She bowed her head and whipped away the lone tear. Standing, the blonde jumped up onto a branch and ran from tree to tree. A long way from her home and not wanting to face her parents, she rested by a tree. The moon had come to its peak and she was tired.  Soon she fell into a deep sleep.

               The rustle of leaves above her woke her. She looked up, trying to see past the water in her eyes from the sleep. She watched the leaves rustle for a moment before realizing there was a shadow. She leapt to her feet, ready to attack, but the shadow had gone. Sighing, she sat back down. She guessed she only got a half hour’s worth of sleep.

               Kurisutaru rubbed her eyes and stood once more. Stretching, she began for the village. A loud barking caught back her attention. She hid behind a tree as another boy came bounding through the trees with a dog at his side. She waited for a moment for him to pass but he only stopped. _Damn!_ Kurisutaru thought crossly.

               “Akamaru,” the boy addressed his dog, “Someone’s here. Who is it, boy? Why is the scent familiar….?”

               Kurisutaru jumped silently onto the branch of the tree above her. She watched the brown haired boy as he sniffed around. As he came to her tree, she stiffened. “They’re up here, boy!” he cheered to his pet, who barked happily back.

               She closed her eyes and prepared to jump higher up the tree. Before she could, the boy called to her. “Hey!” he yelled, “Come down! You’re caught, whatever you’re trying to do!”

               Kurisutaru sighed and jumped down. “Hey,” she muttered.

               “Hey yourself,” he said simply, smirking.

               There was a moment of awkward silence. “What?” she asked, not able to take him staring at her any longer.

               “Y-you, uh….” He stuttered, “Do I know? I would think I’d remember a face like yours.” He smirked with his last words.

               “What about my face?” Kurisutaru asked, looking at him indifferently. His chakra didn’t interest her, nothing did. The dog was something special though. As he came up to greet her she smiled and knelt down to pet him. “How’re you doing, boy?” she asked the dog like he was human, “You happy?”

               The boy watched her and his dog for a moment. She petted the puppy and he licked her back. “No one’s been able to get Akamaru’s attention like that,” the pet owner murmured in amazement, “And you treat him so well!”

               Kurisutaru grinned at the dog. “You’re name’s Akamaru, eh?” she asked him, receiving a bark in reply. Laughing at his confirmation, Kurisutaru stood. “’S a nice pal you have,” she said to the boy.

               He smiled at her, hands on his hips. “No duh! Akamaru’s the best friend anyone could get!”

               She smiled back at him and waved. “Bye,” she said simply.

               “Wait!” the call made her stop in her tracks. “You’re leaving already? I don’t even know your name!”

               She smirked and turned to him, eyes narrowed hauntingly. “You’ll forget. Just drop it; you’ll never remember me anyway,” she said with a menacing cheer and turned again to leave.

               Though as she walked away she knew she really wanted to tell him, for them to become friends. She felt an ache in her chest and growled at herself. “Stupid!” she hissed, hitting a tree as she passed.

               She ran the rest of the way to her house. As she ran through the door she remembered her parents had a mission. She ran into her room and fell onto her bad. Kurisutaru yelled, muffling herself with her pillow. She fell asleep a few minutes after her final breath of yell left her.

              

               School was harder trying to avoid the two boys the next day. Going home was no different. The boy with the dog kept sniffing her out. She had to double back whenever he was hot on her trail. Kurisutaru finally reahced her house. She cooked herself a quick dinner and tried to sleep.

               When she couldn’t, she stood and went outside. The moon was beautiful against the sky. Gazing up at the navy blanket, she lost herself. Unaware that she was being watched, she laid on her back and watched as a cloud made its way past the large orb in the sky. “Yo!” the voice made her jump.

               She sat and looked around, finding the source hanging by a bush. “You,” she murmured, recognizing the brown haired boy.

               He only smiled. “Whatcha doin?” he asked happily, his dog running to her.

               Kurisutaru just stared dumbfoundly at him. “How did you…?” she muttered.

               “Huh? Oh! You’re scent, duh,” he  exclaimed proudly, poking his nose.

               She couldn’t help but smile. Sighing, she looked back up at the moon. “Star gazing, I guess. To answer your question,” she murmured happily.

               He looked up at the moon and smiled too. “I did’t think anyone’d try to find me,” she murmured to herself.

               “Why wouldn’t they?” the boy asked, scaring Kurisutaru; she didn’t think she’d said it aloud.

               “U-uh… Because…” she had trouble finding the words, “Because no one noticed me before… I thought they’d not care when they did…”

               “They?”

               “Huh? Oh nevermind,” she dismissed.

               “Now that I think about it…” he murmured, narrowing his eyes, “Naruto did seem like he was a little more distracted than usuall…. If that’s even possible!”

               Kurisutaru smiled and took out a kunai. The boy winced and looked at her like she was insane. She didn’t mind him, just held it up to the light of the moon. It shown brilliantly. Quickly, she put it back in her pocket. “W-what was that about?” the boy said, obviously scared.

               “Huh? Oh, sorry,” she chuckled, “I didn’t man to freak you out. I just like it when the moon glints off my weapons. I don’t know why, it just makes me feel powerful or something.”

               He smiled at her, looking sort of relieved. “What’s your name anyway?” he asked chuckling.

               “Um….” She hesitated, not knowing if she should tell him or not.

               Noticing her uncomfortness, the boy said his name was Kiba. “I know,” was all she replied, “We’re in the same class…”

               “We are?” Kiba said, shocked, “Oh crap, I’m sorry! I should know your name!”

               “It’s okay,” she murmured, “I sit way in the back so no one notices me anyway.”

               “Still, not okay,” he growled.

               Akamaru had jumped up on her and was laying on her stomache. She giggled. “Hi, boy!” she petted the pup, who wagged his tail and barked happily in reply.

               Kiba smiled at the two. They sat and watched the moon for the rest of the night. After an hour or so, Kurisutaru began to fell sleepy. She yawned nice and wide, grabbing back the attention of the boy. He chuckled. “Tired?” he asked playfully.

               She chucked through her yawn. “So is Akamaru,” she laughed, nodding to the puppy on her stomache who was nodding off into a sleep.

               They laughed. “Maybe I should go home,” Kiba said, sitting up.

               Kurisutaru pouted, but nodded. She nudged the puppy gently. He looked at her and stepped off. All got up and looked at each other. There was a moment of awkward silence. “W-well….” Kurisutaru started.

               They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment. “S-see you in school?” suggested the blonde.

               “See you in school,” Kiba agreed.

               They stood there a moment longer. “Bye,” Kiba said finally.

               Kurisutaru nodded. He set off with Akamaru on his shoulder. She watched them go for a moment before turning back to her house. As she got into her bed, she couldn’t help but feel as if time had stopped for a moment. It was so strange. Her heart had beat so steadily, yet so fast paste. She sighed happily. Her face felt hot, her nerves shaken. Yet, she quickly and happily fell into a deep slumber.

              

 

               The next day was strange. Kurisutaru didn’t try to avoid either of the boys, secretly hoping one would approach her. She watched in dismay as Kiba looked at her and turned away to go off with his friends. There was a look of regret, and although she knew what it was for, she couldn’t help but take it wrong. “He regrets being with me last night,” she lied to herself.

               As she turned to go away, she realized the blonde boy whom she had first met was sitting alone at his desk. She took a step to approach him, then stopped herself. She walked out, making sure he could see her. Hoping he’d noticed her, she dared a glance back. His face was buried in his arms.

               She sighed and walked to his side. “You okay?” she asked.

               He looked up at her. “You…” he murmured.

               She smiled and put her hand up in a wave. “You’re not afraid of me?” he asked, looking away.

               Wide eyed, she shook her head. Kurisutaru, realizing he hadn’t seen her, said, “No, why would I? I’m surprised you’re even talking to me….”

               He looked at her, shocked. “Why wouldn’t I?” he almost repeated her own words.

               “I-I thought I had made you mad and you never wanted to see me again…” she admitted.

               He looked at her for a moment, seeming to remember suddenly. “That’s right!” he growled, pounding his fists on the table, “You’re the one who I met that day in the forest!”

               Kurisutaru couldn’t help but chuckle at his fake anger. “Wh-what?” he demanded harshly, but his was really only fearing he had been caught.

               “No need to fake around me,” she murmured, “I can tell when you’re lying….” She realized she had said to much and looked away.

               “What?” the yellow haired boy asked, dumbfounded, “You can tell? How?”

               Sighing, Kurisutaru pulled her hair away from her left eye. “My stupid eye can see more than others,” she murmured sadly.

               He stared at her for a minute. “What?”

               She sighed, trying to explain. “I can see chakra and other stuff with my stupid eye, like lies…”

               He stared at her for a minute. He shook his head, smiling. “Okay,” he accepted, though she can see he still didn’t understand.

               They smiled at each other. Then the boy frowned. “Why are you hanging around me? Why don’t you run like all the others?” he asked.

               She frowned. “I don’t see why they do,” she muttered simply.

               “I don’t know why either,” he growled lowly.

               She smiled again. “Well, who cares about those idiots?” she said, trying to cheer him up.

               He looked at her, smiling softly. Her heart began to race again as he asked, “Hey? What’s your name?”

“Kurisutaru,” she answered.

               “Kurisutaru…” he whispered the name, making her heart flutter, “I’m Naruto.”

               “I’ve heard,” she smiled, “It’s a fun name.”

               “Thanks, yours is pretty….”

               She blushed at his comment, but smiled nonetheless. He stared into her eyes and she into his. “You’re eye is like a clouded sky…” he muttered day dreamily, “And the other like a shadowy pool of water….”

               “Yours are like water on a clear day,” she blushed harder

               They kept staring into each other’s eyes, unaware of the closing distance. The slamming door awoke Kurisutaru and she looked at it. It was Kiba.  “H-hi, Kiba…” she muttered.

               “Kuri….” He muttered sadly.

               “Kuri…?” Naruto seemed to just then realize he was there, “Kiba...?”

               “Teme,” he growled at Naruto.

               The blonde seemed taken aback. “Kiba!” Kurisutaru growled.

               The dog-boy looked at her. “Come on Kuri,” he muttered crossly.

               “Stop calling me that!” she growled, “And I will not leave Naruto!”

               “I-it’s okay,” the blonde muttered sadly.

               “No, it’s not,” she muttered, still looking at the boy with his dog. Speaking to him, she said, “He’s my friend, too!”

               “He didn’t even notice you like I did!” there was hurt lining his voice.

               “Because he didn’t know I was here,” she retorted, knowing he was right. Akamaru whined and Kurisutaru felt a pain in her chest, but she continued. “You ditched me today, anyway. Why should I go with you?”

               “Because I can give you more friends…. Better friends!” he growled.

               She rolled her eyes. “I like being a damn loner,” she insisted. She continued as she stood, “It was so much better when I didn’t have to worry about being hurt or hurting anyone else like this….”

               Giving a regretting look at Naruto, she ran to the window and jumped out, tears making their way to the edges of her eyes. Her hair fell back over her left eye and she ran faster than she ever had. Yet, she couldn’t escape the voices of the two boys. “Kurisutaru!” it was Naruto’s voice, “See what you did!”

               “What I did? More like what you did!” it was Kiba’s growl.

               She tried to shut out the voices. Finally she couldn’t hear them anymore. “I can’t believe them…” she muttered to herself, “I’ll see if I can go apologize to Naruto after school….”

               As if on cue, the bell signaled for all students to go back to the class. She sighed and ran back.

               The rest of the day was strangely calming. As she walked home, she saw the blonde ninja. Running up to him, she quickly apologized and explained her relationship with Kiba. He seemed slightly relieved and less hurt than he was. They smiled at each other and waved their good-byes. She slept well that night, knowing she had a new friend, even if she lost one.

              

 

               A few mornings later, Kurisutaru walked to the Academy happily. Naruto had earned his headband along with the rest of the class, and she was happy to see him so proud. Today would be the day they were placed into their teams. She hoped to be on the same team as Naruto, and be even happier is Sakura was on the same team. She knew he liked the big forehead girl.

               As they took their seats, Iruka Sensei stood waiting, a list in his hand. As he read out the teams, Kurisutaru waited in anticipation. Finally he called Naruto’s name along with Sakura’s. She smiled at him and how happy he was. Then Iruka called Sasuke to join Team 7. Disappointed, Kurisutaru slunk in her chair. She listened for her name, but paid attention when she heard Kiba’s. She sighed in silent relief when he was partnered with the silent bug guy, Shino, and the slightly more talkative Hinata. Finally she heard her name being paired with Junko and Kimi. She sighed; she didn’t know the two at all.

               The three teammates went off to meet their Sensei, who came late. Her name was Yasuko, which fit her perfectly. She was a perfect lady, and not much of a ninja. She had dark brown hair and brilliant brown eyes. Polite, Kurisutaru never would’ve thought she was a ninja. She even told the Genin that they should avoid every possible fight, which greatly annoyed Kurisutaru, and she knew Junko thought the same even if Kimi didn’t.

               Kurisutaru and Junko became great friends. They had decided that they’d train themselves if they were to pass the Chunin exams. The two realized how much in common they had. Junko, too, had been a loner but had developed a crush on a boy she met. Apparently it was the silent bug boy Kiba had been teamed up with. Kurisutaru thought it was interesting.

               She met up with Naruto a few times as well and they trained together, sharing gossip about their teams. She mainly listened to him go on about Sasuke and Sakura, but didn’t mind. She loved hearing about his plans to surpass the duck-haired boy and become Hokage one day.

 

 

               Kurisutaru walked with Junko to the Hokage’s office. He had a special mission for their team and they were to meet to find out what it was. She was excited and couldn’t wait, so she ran off ahead of Junko. “Keep up, if you can!” she giggled as she ran.

               “Sometimes you’re so childish!” Junko laughed as she dashed after her friend.

               The brunette caught up to her quickly and they kept with each other until they saw the building. Kurisutaru used all her strength to sprint to the door. Junko was right on her tail, but Kurisutaru won in the end. The two laughed through their panting. They walked the rest of the way up the stairs, too exhausted to run anymore. When they opened the doors to the office, Kurisutaru immediately recognized Naruto’s spiky blonde head. She resisted the urge to run up and tackle hug him. She only put her hands into her pockets and strolled into the room, ignoring the comments from Junko.

               “Hey, Naruto,” she said simply, smiling at him.

               He looked at her. “Kurisutaru! What are you doing here?” he seemed happy that she was there, making her feel good.

               “I’m supposed to meet here for a special mission,” she explained.

               “That’s right,” it was his sensei that spoke, Kakashi, “Another team will be joining us on our mission. Team 15, I believe.”

               There was a surprised look from the pink haired girl and an annoyed snort from the raven haired boy. Kurisutaru shot him a look of annoyance but looked away quickly. “Isn’t that an all girl’s team?” the girl murmured, though Kurisutaru could hear the anger and jealousy in her voice.

               Kurisutaru looked at her. “Got a problem with that?” she asked coolly.

               Sakura looked taken aback by the comment and didn’t say another word. Naruto looked happy. “So Kurisutaru’s coming with us?” he asked excitedly.

               She nodded at him and he cheered. They received the details of their mission and Yasuko Sensei told them that she would not accompany them and that Kimi wouldn’t either. Kurisutaru sighed in relief. She didn’t want to be embarrassed on her first mission with Naruto.

               They headed out as soon as they could. Their mission was to carry important information across to a camp in rival territory. The thought of it sounded lame, but Kurisutaru knew how dangerous it could get. She walked silently beside Naruto, who both cheered and complained at almost the same time. She just listened amusedly.

               “Shut up, dobe,” Sasuke growled.

               “The only dobe here is you,” she muttered under her breath, but it was heard.

               “What gives you that idea?” he growled back.

               “Oh, just that you are only satisfied when others are put down. Therefore, you’re a looser,” she hissed.

               The two glared at each other for a moment before looking away. “You shouldn’t talk like that to Sasuke-kun!” the stupid pink girl defended a little late.

               Junko took this fight. “Why shouldn’t she?” she growled.

               Kurisutaru smirked at Junko, who nodded in return. All was quiet for once on the trip. It was an awkward silence, only to be broken by Naruto’s giggling. Kurisutaru looked at him and smiled. Sasuke glared at the blondes before looking away. Kurisutaru could tell he didn’t hate either of them, but just didn’t want to show it.

               Sakura looked as stupid as ever and Junko as mean. Naruto and Kurisutaru talked for a while, chuckling a few times here and there. She could tell the tension was being released slowly between the team members, Sasuke’s curiousness of her starting to show to even her plain eye. But, that only showed Sakura to be jealous.

               It didn’t take long for Kakashi Sensei to put out his hand in warning. The others stopped and silenced themselves. They all looked around, each in their own way. Kurisutaru was in a fighting stance, eyes darting around from tree to tree, her left eye on alert. Naruto was standing, fists clenched, eyes looking where Kakashi Sensei was staring. Junko stood relaxed, resting her weight on one leg. The other two looked almost in the same way.

               A flash caught Kurisutaru’s eye and she recognized it to be a kunai. She jumped in its way, protecting Sakura with her own kunai. They all looked at her for a second before hundreds of kunai followed. Quickly, Kurisutaru jumped back into the center of the group. Slowing the world down with her mind, she quickly performed hand signals and poured out her chakra onto the ground. The earth jumped into a dome around them. Kurisutaru stood up and watched as her earth cracked under the pressure of the kunai. She walked out of the dome calmly, aware of the surprised eyes watching her.

               As she broke the now soft surface, she made a small doorway for the others to go through. They each jumped out, ready to fight. Before Naruto went out, she signaled for him to make a few Clones just in case. He nodded and did so, sending out on Clone and keeping in himself and two other Clones. They looked at her and nodded. She faced the trees, ready for a fight.

               When nothing came out at them, Kakashi signaled that he would scout a little ways ahead. She noticed the leaves were swaying the wrong way. She resisted the urge to jump in front of him to protect him from several kunai flying for his head. He easily dodged without her help, leaving Sakura helpless again. Sighing, Kurisutaru jumped to protect the worthless girl again.

               A strange smell leaked out into the clearing, seen blue by her left eye. She tried not to breath in the air and felt suddenly dizzy. She fell to one knee and coughed, causing the real Naruto to withdraw his clone and run to her side with Junko. “Get out of this air!” she growled at the two, pointing to a spot where there was none of the chakra-like gas. Soon enough, however, she passed out.

 

               When she awoke, she was in a room that was big enough for two beds, though it was empty. She tried to stretch but found her hands tied. She jumped onto her knees and looked at the rope that bound her. She sighed. The one thing she had yet to be able to fight: rope. She tried to reach for a weapon, but her fingers only got more tangled in the rope. She sighed.

               A groan brought her attention to the room again. Beside her was Naruto in the same state. She didn’t know whether she should feel angry, sad, or happy to see him. He blinked his eyes open and looked at her his cheek squished against the floor. He smiled sadly. “We escape?” he asked dumbly.

               Kurisutaru smiled but shook her head. Naruto sighed. “I couldn’t leave you,” he muttered.

               “Let’s not worry about that now,” she murmured, studying his ropes, “We have to get out of wherever we are.”

               Naruto wormed his way in front of her. He gazed up into her eyes from above her lap. For a second, she thought that he’d rest his head on her lap. To her surprise, however, he lunged slightly at her chest, grabbing onto the ropes with his teeth. She blushed and yelled quietly in surprise. She could see him blush so lightly it was barely visible. “N-Naruto!” she protested, “What are you doing?”

               “Trying to get these ropes off of you,” his words were muffled.

               Trying not to show how nervous she was and holding her breath, Kurisutaru blushed madly as he worked at the ropes at her chest. She bit her lip as his teeth rubbed against her chest, suppressing a small gasp. She kept blushing until she was sure her skin was the color of crimson. He made a space in the ropes so he can get a better grip on the one he was working at. She could feel it breaking and was relieved, until his nose rubbed where she _really_ didn’t want him to rub. This time she let out a small, breathy groan. Hoping it was so small only she had heard it, she continued to watch him. He pulled away and went back forward to get a better grip again, always brushing against her a little.

               The ropes began to rip apart until they were fully torn. They were finally torn and Kurisutaru fell backwards, Naruto flopping down on top of her. They blushed as they stared into each other’s eyes and she gently pushed him away. She quickly grabbed a kunai and freed him. “Do you know if any of the others were caught?” she asked, getting up onto her feet.

               He shook his head, but she guessed they were. “We have to check, just in case,” she muttered, opening the door to let them out.

               Nodding, he ran out one way and she ran the other. She opened and shut screen door after screen door. Finally she found Sasuke; she couldn’t help but smile at how pathetic the supposed great rookie was. He was lying on the floor, cheek squished against the floor and his butt in the air as if he’d been trying to free himself. He just scowled at her smirk and asked for help. She strolled casually towards him and sliced the rope to free him. He nodded his thanks.

               As she headed for the next door, he followed her. Finally at a screen door, she stopped in her tracks. “Why do you keep following me?” she hissed.

               “Because you’re supposed to be my teammate for this mission. I’m here to protect you,” he muttered crossly.

               She snorted. “Looks like _I’ve_ been protecting _you_ so far…” she muttered. As she spoke, she opened the screen door they stopped by. Looking in she murmured, “Speaking of who I have to keep protecting.”

               In the room was Sakura and Junko tied up. Junko opened one eye and looked at her; she was sitting on her knees, obviously trying to think of a way to get out of her ropes. Sakura, on the other hand, was wiggling helplessly. “It’s about time you came!” Junko teased Kurisutaru.

               She smirked in return. Quickly, she ran to her side and cut the ropes with her kunai. Junko spoke to her as she cut the ropes off her friend. “Do you have to release that idiot?” her teammate asked, rolling her eyes towards the pink haired girl, who was being all lovely to Sasuke as he cut her ropes.

               Kurisutaru rolled her eyes but nodded.”Naruto’d kill me if we let her stay,” was all she said.

               “It all comes down to Naruto,” Junko teased, making Kurisutaru rolled her eyes and then blush as she smiled.

               As soon as the two were cut free, the four ran off in the direction Naruto had taken previously. “I don’t get the way they threw us into rooms…” she muttered to herself.

               “You were with Naruto right?” Junko asked, hearing Kurisutaru’s words.

               She nodded, noticing Sasuke’s teeth clench harder just slightly. “I know it was me and Naruto, Sasuke by himself and you with Sakura,” she continued, closing her eyes to think.

               Junko shrugged and the boy spoke up. “They put the ones who did nothing together. Then the idiot and the defensive one were to be put into the same room. I’m an Uchiha so of course I’d be alone,” he said matter-of-factly.

               Kurisutaru rolled her eyes. She tightened her fists, ready to sock the Uchiha or anyone they met. A blonde spike of hair came into sight and she ran faster, leaving the others behind. Ignoring the protests of Sakura behind, she ran faster and faster until Naruto was fully in sight. She stopped short and jumped behind a pillar when she saw the enemy. For a brief moment she remembered the time in the room they spent together. She could feel the blush run across her face quickly and sit. Junko had run up behind her and was staring at the enemy strangely. As the other two members of Team 7 fell in place behind her, Kurisutaru looked at them with her left eye.

Their chakra was normal and nothing about them seemed unusual, until she looked at one of their attackers. They all wore gas masks except one, whose chakra was the usual blue, but as he breathed she noticed a little left his nose. _Chakra gas?_ She thought calmly, but interestedly. Looking back at it with her normal eye she frowned. It wasn’t the same gas; Naruto was still awake. It was like he breathed chakra and put something by it to make it a gas.

Her theory was proven as he put a silvery stick by his mouth and blew on it. His chakra turned from blue into visible grey mist, making Naruto choke and cough. “What the hell,” Junko murmured softly.   

Kurisutaru threw a kunai at the man, making the other two look at him then where the four were. Quickly, they hid behind the pillar. Sakura clung to Sasuke’s arm as they began murmuring to each other. Junko glared quietly over Kurisutaru’s shoulder, who rolled her eyes at them all and looked at Naruto.

The gas had stopped and Naruto wasn’t choking anymore. Running up the pillar and onto the roof silently, she threw more kunai at the men, aiming at their fatal spots. He killed one man and injured the other, though he still seemed strong. She ran quietly down to Naruto and undid the metal chains. “Torture,” she noted quietly to herself as she freed him.

He gasped and thanked her. They ran up to their teammates and signaled for them to run as well. “What about Kakashi Sensei?” Sakura asked as they reached the door to freedom.

“He’s capable of freeing himself and is probably waiting for us,” Kurisutaru guessed.

Sasuke snorted disbelievingly but Naruto and Junko agreed. “To think they were taken down by a girl’s kunai,” Kurisutaru heard Sasuke mutter to himself.

“She aims to kill if needed and injure severely if not. She throws one at you anytime and you’d be in the hospital,” Junko defended.

Kurisutaru gave a thankful nod at her and she returned it. “But,” the blonde explained herself, “There must be more… That was too easy…”

As she spoke, four men blocked the door. Sasuke grabbed his kunai as Kurisutaru did. Giving each other a quick glare, they threw their kunai at the men. Kurisutaru’s hit a man’s armor and slid right through the cloth part as Sasuke’s bounced off iron protection. Luckily, Kurisutaru had him covered and her extra kunai did the same with the other two at the same time, making seem like his had hurt the men and hers had bounced off. He gave her a quick glare and she shrugged as he blinked his unwilling thanks.

They all jumped over the bodies, Kurisutaru in the middle of the five, and ran out the door. Kurisutaru landed on her knee and hand, waiting for the others to run in front of her. She stood and threw a single kunai at a pursuer. She waited for the scream to fade and ran off after them ,catching up quickly. Junko at her left and Naruto at her right, she smirked. “Now,” she said, “it’s time to find Kakashi Sensei.”              

They nodded and followed her as she ran. “Hang on,” she signaled them to stop.

They followed her order and watched as she opened a small scroll from her pouch. “It’s times like these,” she explained as she opened it, “that we need a little extra help.” She bit her right thumb so it bled. She moved her hair away from her left eye, which was closed, and swiped her thumb over hit. A small wolf tattoo appeared sitting on her eye, its eye red. Then rolled up her left sleeve with her finger, revealing a similar tattoo put from the back view. She whipped her blood over it as well, creating a large puff of smoke around her.

She watched calmly as the smoke cleared and she was shone on top of a skinny but large black wolf. “What is it, Kurisutaru?” the wolf sighed, his voice disappointed and almost childish.

“I need your nose to find someone, Hayaiko. Kakashi Sensei. I believe you know his scent?” She said swiftly to the black male.

Sighing once more, the wolf nodded. “I know him,” Hayaiko muttered, already putting up his nose to sniff out his scent.

“Try to keep up,” she called to the rest of her team as the wolf took off in the direction Kakashi was.

She held onto her summoning’s soft fur, keeping her eyes on the road ahead of her. She could tell Junko was running quickly beside her and Team 7 close behind. “He’s close,” she and Hayaiko muttered simultaneously.

The black wolf began to bound faster and faster until Kakashi was spotted on a tree branch. He looked down from reading his book. “Yo!” he greeted happily.

The five Genin stopped and looked at him blankly. “How’d you know we could get out on our own?” Kurisutaru asked calmly.

The Sensei laughed nervously. Kurisutaru narrowed her eyes. “You knew between the five of us, we could take them,” she guessed calmly, still on top of Hayaiko.

He nodded. “Yeah. Now, let’s get on with the mission,” he said simply, jumping down from the tree.

Kurisutaru nodded and jumped down from her wolf. She patted him and murmured, “Thanks for the help, Hayaiko.”

He smirked. “No problem!” he chuckled, “I see you need to impress someone… Is that him?” The wolf nodded towards Naruto, making Kurisutaru blush.

“Shut up!” She said, punching the wolf as softly as she could that would allow him pain.

He only chuckled and said his good-byes. “Take good care of her,” he laughed into Naruto’s ear as he stopped by him.

Kurisutaru blushed as did Naruto. “Hayaiko! _Shut up!_ ” Kurisutaru growled, blushing madly.

The wolf only snickered and waved his tail good-bye before leaving. Naruto and Kurisutaru looked at each other and looked away quickly. “What did he mean by that?” Sakura wondered aloud.

“Maybe….” Junko cooed, nudging her friend in the arm.

“Shut up,” she growled, pushing her away.

“What happened in the room with you two?” Sasuke asked, glaring at the blondes.

“Nothing!” Kurisutaru covered quickly, blushing madder than ever.

“Well….” Naruto muttered at the same time, smirking as he blushed.

“Naruto….” Kurisutaru growled softly, giving him a warning glare.

“What? It’ll only make it seem weirder if we don’t tell,” he smirked wider; he had heard her groan…

Kurisutaru shook her head and recovered herself. “Nothing happened,” she explained, trying not to blush, “He helped me out on my ropes. That’s all.”

With that, she began following Kakashi, who was already heading off. Naruto ran up behind her. Reaching out to her, he chuckled, giving away his presence. Kurisutaru looked down at where his hands were. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked crossly, blushing even harder.

His hands were ready to grab at her breasts. He only chuckled lightly in her ear. “I know how much you like it when I play with you…” he breathed, making her shudder.

“Shut….” She said, grabbing his right wrist rather harshly, “UP!!” In one fluid motion, she took his arm and put it over her shoulder, shifting her weight so he flipped over her back and flat onto the ground. She dusted off her hands, muttering softly but still heard, “You little pervert…”

Kakashi Sensei had stopped and was looking back at the two. The others had stopped behind them and stared as well. Kurisutaru looked behind her, seeing Sasuke’s wide smirk. Scowling, she walked over to the raven haired boy. He blushed as she put her nose to his, still scowling. Ignoring Sakura’s protests and Junko’s whistles, she grabbed his wrist and  turned so her back was to him, flipping him as well. Dusting her hands off again, she smirked at the two laying on the dirty ground. “That’s for thinking I’d only do it to that idiot!” she growled at the Uchiha, receiving a hurt “Hey!” for Naruto.

Kakashi coughed and motioned that they were supposed to keep going. They finished their mission and headed back for the Leaf. Naruto walked beside Kurisutaru and Sasuke tried to keep his distance. “What really happened in the room with you two?” Junko asked; she was walking by them, too.

“Like I said, he freed me, nothing more,” Kurisutaru murmured back.

“Right, right,” Junko muttered, “What else?”

Naruto chuckled but said nothing. “A little bit of the nervous game, maybe?” Junko smirked.

Kurisutaru looked at her in fear. Naruto laughed, seeming to confirm Junko’s guess. Smirking again, she looked forward. “Thought so,” Kurisutaru’s teammate muttered happily.

Kurisutaru couldn’t help but blush. She hit the other blonde on the shoulder and he complained of his new pain. “You two are so troublesome!” Kurisutaru complained herself.

“Careful,” warned Junko, “You’ll starting to sound more and more like Shikamaru!” She laughed at her blonde friend, who only gave her a glare but smiled.

They finally reached the village and separated. Junko waved her farewells as she ran towards her own home, or more of her secret hiding place. Her parents were murdered under a skilled ninja’s blade. Kurisutaru refused to admit it was Junko herself.

Sasuke was walking calmly towards his home, trying to lose Sakura to no avail. Kurisutaru smirked at this fact and headed to her still deserted home. She was sure by now her parents had died on their mission or had decided to leave her. Sighing at the thought, she drifted into a daydream.

She gazed up at the blue sky, remembering when she was caught gazing into Naruto’s eyes. Her expression grew a bittersweet smile and she knew it. “What you thinkin’ about?” she was suddenly aware that Naruto was by her side.

She could feel a small blush creep across her face. “Nothing,” she muttered, looking away.

“Liar,” he chuckled, “hmmm… Let me guess…. What happened in the room between us?” His voice was full of teasing love.

Her heart hurt to hear that it was just teasing but she shook her head, smirking, anyway. “Nope!” she laughed, “I forgot about that until now.”

“Hmm…” he grinned, “I give up.”

“Well I’m not telling!”

“Aw, that’s not fair, Kurisutaru-chan!”

“Well, that’s too bad!” she laughed, “Why are you following me anyway?”

“I want to see you house,” he explained simply.

“Stalker, much?” she chuckled.

He only smiled at her.  She smirked at him and broke into a run. “Hey!” Naruto called.

“If you wanna see my house, you gotta keep up~!” she laughed.

He growled playfully and ran after her. Her house was in sight and Kurisutaru sprinted towards the door. She slammed it open and ran into her room before Naruto could catch up. She laughed, looking over her shoulder for the blonde. As she looked forward, she skidded to a screeching halt. Her eyes grew wide and her heart was heard in her ears. “Jeez, Kurisutaru-chan!” Naruto yelled, panting as he walked up to her, “You didn’t need to…”

He stopped short when he saw what she was staring at. Kiba was laying on her bed with his hood over his face and Akamaru on his stomach. Kurisutaru stared in fright. “How the hell…” she couldn’t finish her thought.

“Why is Kiba laying on your bed?” Naruto asked, more curious than jealous.

“I have no idea…” she muttered calmly.

“Kuri-chan….” Kiba muttered in what seemed like his sleep.

She couldn’t help but blush. “Kiba!” she yelled at the sleeping boy.

The dog boy jumped out of his sleep and rolled towards the two blondes, groaning in pain. Kurisutaru kicked him a few times. “What the hell!” she growled at him through gritted teeth, “Why are you in my room? In my bed? Saying my freaking name in your sleep!”

He blushed and yelped in pain. Akamaru bit gently at her pant bottom but she kept kicking.”Kurisutaru-san!” he yelped, “Stop!”

“Not until you tell me what you’re doing in my house!” she growled back.

Akamaru had let go of her pants and was sitting calmly by the edge of her bed. “Ok, ok!” Kiba surrendered, “I was waiting for you to come back! I need to talk to you.”

She stopped kicking him and sat on her bed. “Sit in the chair over there,” she muttered crossly, “Do you mind if Naruto’s here?”

“Um…” Kiba hesitated, “I’d prefer for him to not…..”

Rolling her eyes, she sent the other blonde to the kitchen to eat some ramen or something. Kiba sat in the chair she pointed out, squirming uncomfortably. “K-Kurisutaru….” He began. When she didn’t respond he continued, even more uncomfortable. “I-I’m sorry about that day in the Academy…” She still said nothing and he continued, becoming more persistent to make her speak. “I shouldn’t have been so overprotective, and I’m sorry! It’s just so hard not protecting you….”

“From what?” she retorted, “I can take good care of myself and I know who I can trust. Obviously I was wrong with you…”

“What did I do to make you no trust me?” he yelled sadly.

“You treated me like property!” she growled, knowing it was a stupid answer, “And I can’t trust that you’ll not do it again!”

“How can I trust that blonde when you were so close to falling on top of him like he did with Sasuke that one day!” he retorted, “I was trying to save you!”

“How? How could you have saved me?” she asked him furiously, “If I fell it was because _I_ fell, not because someone pushed me into him or he made me! Besides, the whole Sasuke thing happened after Naruto and I talked, remember?”

“Whatever, I still don’t trust him!” Kiba growled; by this point in time Akamaru was sitting with his ears down and his tail as best in between his legs as he could get.

“Why? Because I’ve become closer to the ‘knuckle-head ninja’?” she growled back, “Well maybe he’s cooler than anyone thinks. Maybe your just jealous!”

There was a moment of tense silence. “Don’t you think you should go….” Kurisutaru more of demanded than asked.

He gave her a sorrowful glare and walked out of her room. “Naruto,” she heard Kiba speak to the blonde boy.

“Bye, Kiba,” Naruto’s reply was muffled, telling Kurisutaru that he followed her orders and was eating ramen.

A slam of the front door signaled that the dog boy had left. She walked calmly out into the kitchen where Naruto was just finishing his ramen. There was another bowl in front of him but he didn’t touch it. Noticing her staring blankly at him he pointed to it and muttered, “It’s for you…”

She smiled and thanked him, sitting down to eat it. She had forgotten how hungry she was and quickly slurped the food down her throat. When she was finished, she burped loudly, blushing slightly. Naruto chuckled at her and she laughed back nervously. He puffed out his cheeks and let out his own burp, louder than her own. This time they busted into laughter, nearly falling out of their seats.

Once they calmed down, they stared at each other for what felt like forever. Kurisutaru finally felt her face heat up and looked away. She stood and began walking to her room. “You can leave or stay,” she muttered over her shoulder, trying to be cool, “It’s your decision.”

She could practically hear him smirk. “I guess I’ll stay,” she heard him coo, “It’s pretty dark out, so might as well. Thanks for dinner, by the way.”

Not daring to look at him because her face was pure red, she murmured, “No problem. You can take my room, I can sleep on the floor or the couch or something…”

He followed her back to her room. When she opened the door he invited himself in. “You sure you want to leave me alone in your room?” he asked, looking at her with a perverted smile.

Happy the blush had drained from her face when he looked at her, she realized what he meant. Shaking her head she cursed herself. “You’re right,” she muttered, knowing the blush began to reappear on her face, “I guess I have to keep an eye on you, but I don’t trust you anywhere besides my room…”

He grinned his stupid but cute grin. “I guess you’ll just have to let me sleep here and stay with me,” he decided for her.

“Well then,” she challenged, “What’re we supposed to do for sleeping spots?”

“Why don’t we just both sleep in your bed?” he asked innocently, though there was no innocence in his eyes.

“Hah, no,” Kurisutaru faked laughed, taking off her headband for the night.

“Why not?” Naruto pouted, though it was a fake pout, Kurisutaru could see he was really disappointed.

“Because I don’t trust you to try something funny while I sleep!” she grabbed her favorite pajamas; they were a dark blue with a black dragon wrapping around the arm.

“I promise I won’t,” he smirked, laying on his side and supporting his head with his hand, giving another shade of red to Kurisutaru’s blush.

“Well, I don’t know…..” she thought about it for a minute, getting lost in her own fantasies.

When she didn’t answer for five minutes, Naruto snapped her out of it. Blushing two more shades, she decided to let him sleep in her bed with her. He went to the bathroom and she took the chance to change. She was buttoning up her silky shirt when he came back in. She looked over her shoulder casually and looked back. She wasn’t even half way up. Blushing another ten shades of red, she looked back over her shoulder, rushing to button up the rest of her shirt. “Don’t you knock?” she yelled at him.

“Not when leaving a bathroom…” he muttered confused.

She finished buttoning her skirt and turned around, sighing. She looked him over. He stared at her back and blushed. “What?” they said at the same time.

Kurisutaru answered first, “I was wondering if I had anything that your could borrow for sleeping material. You know, to get you out of those dirty and sweaty clothes.” She couldn’t help but blush a new shade of red at her own explanation.

He did the same but nodded as if he understood. “Y-your… umm…… your shirt is um…” he muttered, blushing another shade of red.

She looked down an realized that her shirt was not only wrongly buttoned, but flashing a little skin. She blushed another hundred shades of red. Quickly, she turned around and buttoned her shirt right. Double checking before turning around, she sighed. She cleared her throat. “Now let’s see if I have anything for you,” she muttered, not looking at him.

She opened a drawer and quickly closed it, realizing it was the wrong one; it was her underwear drawer not her pajama. Reaching for the one next to it, she knew it was the right one. She looked through it quickly, trying to cover up her embarrassment.  A flash of orange caught her eye and she grabbed it, pulling it closer. She remembered it to be a present from her dad when she was younger. It was too big, of course, and she figured it still was. She pulled it out along with the bottoms and handed them to Naruto. “Go to the bathroom and change,” she ordered him, “Tell me if it doesn’t fit and I’ll try to find something else for you.”

He nodded and walked back into the bathroom that was connected to her room. She sat on her bed, waiting patiently. He finally walked out, still buttoning his shirt. She couldn’t help but chuckle. He looked at her, confusion written on his face. “I almost looks like your jacket,” she giggled.

He chuckled as he looked at what she meant. She settled into her bed. “You going to sleep, or not?” she asked calmly, though she felt a small shade of red cross her face.

He grinned at her and took his place beside her in the bed. “Good night, Kurisutaru-chan,” he yawned.

“Good night, Naruto-kun,” she yawned back.

She turned so she lay on her side, her back to Naruto. She felt the bed move slightly as if he looked at her and looked back at the ceiling. She drifted softly into sleep, strangely comforted by the idea of Naruto being beside her.

 

Kurisutaru woke from a strangely wonderful dream. She blinked her eyes and yawned. “Mm… that was a good dream….”

               She felt a little more pressure on her stomach, gasping slightly in shock. “What was it about, Kurisutaru-chan?” she heard the drowsy voice by her ear.

               She tried to look at the source by twisting her neck but found it hurt too much. She looked down at the hands around her waist and suddenly remembered. She blushed ten shades of red, eyes wider than she thought possible. She realized she could feel his breath on the back of her neck and his nose barely touching the tip of her head, as if it was buried in her hair. She shuddered slightly, but it was almost a good shudder. “Good morning, Naruto-kun,” she muttered, ignoring his question.

               “Hmm…” Naruto rested his head on her shoulder, making so that her face was squished between his and the pillow, “Morning.”

               She let out a soft giggle. “Sleep well?” she asked sweetly.

               “Yeah,” he answered, moving his arms closer to her chest and resting his arms on her breasts.

               She blushed harder but smiled anyway. He began moving his fingers gently and sweetly. “Why do you keep trying to play with me like that?” she asked calmly, though here was an edge to her voice.

               He smirked at her, but didn’t answer. He just kept moving his fingers in a circular motion. She bit her bottom lip and a soft moan tried to escape from her throat. He swallowed it, not letting Naruto have what he wanted. “I know you like it,” he whispered in her ear, sending shivers racing down her spine.

               She couldn’t help but blush even more. She opened her mouth to reply, but her voice would’ve come out in a moan if she did. Closing her mouth, Kurisutaru wished it to only be a dream and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes to find herself in the same position. “N-N-Naruto-kun!” she stuttered.

               “Hey, Kurisutaru-chan?” he asked sweetly.

               She blushed and looked at him best she could with him squishing her face with his. “Y-yeah?” she stuttered, trying her best not to sigh in pleasure.

               “Can I use your shower?” he asked, keeping his finger on her right breast.

Dazed and blushing, she tried to nod. He seemed to get the message and got off of her. He headed off into the bathroom and closed the door. The water to the shower started and she let out a long, wistful sigh. She got up and went to find Naruto’s newly cleaned clothes. She grabbed them and walked back to her room, laying them on her bed. She grabbed new clothes of her own and started to change.

 Kurisutaru was pulling up her pants and taking off her shirt when she heard the door open. She looked up to see Naruto walking out with a towel around his waist. She was only in pants and a bra. She realized this and so did he. Both blushed violently and stared at each other for a moment, mouths open. Time seemed to stop for a few horribly good minutes. Turning on her heal, she put her shirt quickly on and fixed herself. When she turned back, Naruto was still in the same position. She blushed and looked away. “Your clothes are on the bed,” she pointed to it with her head, avoiding looking at him.

She could hear the soft sounds of cloth rubbing cloth as he picked his shirt and jacket off his bed. She waited for him to tell her he was dressed before turning around. Even then, his shirt was still halfway off, revealing his stomach. She blushed even harder, trying to take her eyes off him but unable to. Finally he put his jacket on and she could look into his eyes. “G-go ahead and get some food from the kitchen. I’ll be right there,” she murmured.

He left the room and she went into the bathroom. She covered her mouth with a hand and moaned as loud as she dared. She looked at herself in the mirror and stared, frightened. Quickly, she fixed her hair and clothes as best she could. She tried to stop herself from blushing, but couldn’t get the picture of Naruto in only a towel out of her mind, making her blush harder.

She shook her head to clear away all images. She looked herself over, seeing if she was okay to go out. She noticed the pajamas that she let Naruto borrow were beside her, folded neatly in a pile. She smiled. She took them and walked back into her room, putting them into her drawer.

Kurisutaru walked out of her room to see Naruto was eating her cereal, an empty bowl across from him along with the milk and cereal itself. She smiled at him. “You don’t have to keep doing that,” she murmured as she sat down.

He just shrugged. “I guess it’s my way of saying thanks,” he smiled at her through a mouthful.

She blushed and poured herself a bowl. They ate in silence for a little while. “So-,” Kurisutaru started.

“Umm…” Naruto hesitated.

There was another brief moment of silence. They said each other’s name at the same time. The smiled and chuckled softly. “Have any missions today?” she asked carefully.

He looked thoughtfully at the roof and shook his head. “Nope,” he smiled.

She grinned, waiting for him to make another comment. When he didn’t, she just continued eating, drinking the leftover milk straight from the bowl. He mimicked her and whipped his face with his sleeve. “What should we do today?” he asked smiling.

She could feel a small hint of red crossing her face as he said “we.” She shrugged casually. “I don’t know,” she sighed.

They had a staring contest for a while. Little did they know they were slowly closing the distance between them. Kurisutaru realized it when they were no more than five inches from each other’s faces. She closed her eyes and sighed.

There was another moment of silence, but it was less awkward than before. The two thought for a moment. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do with him. Usually, she’d hang out alone or with Junko. “We can just hang around the village,” suggested Naruto.

Kurisutaru nodded smiling. “Sure, why not?” she agreed.

With that, the two stood and left the home. When they got outside, she sighed happily. “What?” Naruto asked curiously.

“Hmm?” Kurisutaru’s thoughts were drawn back to reality, “Oh, nothing.”

“I don’t believe you,” he stated simply, a hint of mischief in his voice.

“Oh, you don’t?” she asked in a teasing way.

“Yeah!” he said back with some fake anger.

“Okay,” she sighed, “I want you to make me a promise.” Her voice was full of sincerity.

“What’s the promise,” Naruto asked, slightly suspicious.

“This is true, and I want you to honor it, even when we’re older,” she said with such a serious look on her face she could see him wince slightly.

Nonetheless, he nodded. “What is it?” he repeated.

“I want you to promise me that even if the village turns against us, even if the other is portrayed as a traitor, even if we think the other betrayed us, we will always believe in each other. That we’ll never reject the other for something that we could justify and make right. That if we do something so stupid that it hurts everyone, the other will support us. That we’ll always be friends, even if others think we’re enemies. That nothing will affect our friendship, no matter how weird,” she said, thinking herself that it was a huge promise, “Promise me?”

She held out her right pinky for him to take with his. He stared at it for a moment, considering what she said. “That’s some big promise,” he muttered with a chuckle.

He looked into her eyes and smiled, taking her smaller pinky in his. She smiled back and tightened her pinky as he did and they shook their hands in a tight bond. “I promise you,” they muttered simultaneously, smiling at each other with some hidden feeling.

They smiled at each other for a moment until both of them heard a long whistle. Kurisutaru’s head snapped to find Junko standing there, a smirk plastered on her face. “Looks like I caught something!” she teased, “Naruto and Kurisutaru leaving from her house? And now holding hands! Aw, how sweet, yet scary.”

Kurisutaru blushed as she realized they dropped their hands to their sides but their pinkies were still intertwined. She blushed and looked at him, who had mirrored her. They quickly released their grips and looked away. Junko laughed wildly, catching the attention of a few people. Kurisutaru growled at her, getting ready to hit her square in the jaw, but she knew she’d never do the fatal act.

She heard someone approach slowly behind her and sensed familiar, hated chakra. She whipped around, arm raised for the strike. Before she even knew who exactly it was, she swung at the person’s face. Her two front knuckles landed square on a solid jaw. A crack sounded across the village, turning heads everywhere.

Taking a clear look at who she had nailed in the face, Kurisutaru smirked. “The Uchiha can be defeated by a fist!” she laughed loudly at Sasuke, who was laying on the ground, holding his jaw tightly.

Junko couldn’t help but join in the laughter. Naruto just stared, though he smirked at the supposed “awesome” Uchiha. The black haired ninja only scowled best he could. Kurisutaru calmed down enough to put out a hand to the Uchiha. “I’m not gonna hurt you, Uchiha,” she chuckled evilly, “I can tell you that much.”

He hesitantly grabbed her hand and allowed her to help him, the smallest hint of red on his face. He pulled him up swiftly, stopping him from going any further with her other hand against the right side of his jaw. He winced but she just closed her eyes and used her chakra to heal his jaw easily. “Idiot,” she murmured amusedly when she was almost done. When she fully healed his face, she opened her eyes and pulled away. “Bye, Baka!” she called over her shoulder as she began to walk away.

Naruto ran back by her side and started praising her and how awesome she was. She blushed and replied modestly, “Na, That’s all I can do. No more surprises; I’m pretty sure you’ve seen all I can do that’s awe worthy.”

 

 

The rest of the days as Genin were tough. Kiba apologized two more times and she finally forgave him on the third. But then things just got worse. Sasuke had beat Naruto in the end of it all and left for Orochimaru, which left a huge dent in everyone’s emotions, even Kurisutaru’s. Naruto left to train. As he was heading out the gates, Kurisutaru caught him. “Naruto!” she yelled after him.

He paused and waited for her to catch up. She stopped and smiled at him. “Come back stronger,” she smirked, “And remember your promise.”

She held out her pinky to greet him and he happily took it. “Believe it!” he cheered happily.

She chuckled and waved at him as he took off. Once he was out of sight, Junko walked up behind her. “Now what are we supposed to do?” she asked.

Kurisutaru smirked. “Train, What else?” she told her.

The two headed out the gate and looked at each other. They smiled sadly at the other, knowing what they must do. Kurisutaru would train alone, as would Junko, heading separate ways and never looking back for a second. They just stared for a moment. They nodded, knowing they’ll see each other once more. “Look to the stars,” Junko began.

“Look to the clouds,” Kurisutaru continued.

“If I ever need to find you,” they said together, smiling the whole time.

They reached out and grabbed each other’s hands, locking. They turned, slowly releasing their grips. Finally they had their backs to each other, hands at their sides. “Good-bye,” Kurisutaru muttered, knowing that Junko was already walking away.

The wind passed, blowing Kurisutaru’s hair to the right. She closed her eyes, reading herself for the next step. The wind stopped and she took her step into a new adventure, a new chapter.

 


	2. A New Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very creative title I know. Good job, past me. Sorry for the weird formatting I'm just copy-pasting and not really editing soo... yeah.

A hooded figure walked calmly to the gates of Konoha. The wind swept the cloak violently, revealing the sheath of a blade. The guards stopped the figure. “Halt!” one guard screamed.  
The figure stopped, a smirk showing just below the black hood. The second guard smiled, revealing a dog fang. “We can’t let you in,” he growled.  
“Not without welcoming you back,” the first guard smirked.  
“And not without getting a proper ‘Hello,’” the second guard chuckled, “Kurisutaru.”  
The figure took the hood from their head and smiled widely. “Long time no see,” she greeted, “Kiba, Shikamaru.”  
Kiba chuckled and hugged her. She chuckled but didn’t hug back; he arms pinned to her side. He finally released her by Shikamaru’s command. Shikamaru only smirked and welcomed her back, which she thanked in return. “Is Naruto back?” she wondered aloud.  
Shikamaru shook his head and she nodded understandingly. She waved to them as she walked through the main gate in farewell. Taking in the sweet smell of home, she smiled. Her eyes softened as she saw three children running in play. As she reached her home, she grew thoughtful. She opened the door and called out into the empty building. “I’m home!” she called pathetically.   
Her voice echoed blankly. “Welcome back,” she muttered to herself.  
She tossed her cloak on the couch. Her worst thought was confirmed on her training. At least about her family it was. Her parents had died on the mission they were sent on. She wondered why she never was told, but didn’t really care. She finally knew and that made her happy. She knew that they hadn’t left her.  
So she called to the empty house, sadly happy and happily sad. She put her sword on the table by the couch and laid herself on the couch itself, using her cloak as a blanket. She fell into a comforting sleep, tired from two long years of training.   
Dreams poisoned her mind with bittersweet thoughts. First it was Naruto, her and him in her bed, him teasing her like he used to long ago. Then, somehow, it switched to Kiba. He was caressing her face gently, leaning in slowly. Before their lips could touch it turned into Shikamaru. They were dancing and Kurisutaru was becoming more and more confused. Then it turned into Sasuke, laying on top of her, staring lustfully into her eyes.  
She woke screaming. She felt her forehead, noticing she was sweating. She could tell she was blushing madly. The moon peeked in through her window and she groaned in disappointment, flopping back onto the couch. She sighed and covered her eyes with her headband, which had still been on her head when she slept. She fell into a dreamless sleep for the rest of the night, not daring to let herself dream.  
When she woke again, the sun was beginning to peer over the horizon. She smiled and decided to rise. She changed quickly into fresh clothes after taking a quicker shower. As she opened the door, she came face to fist. Staring wide-eyed past the fist that was about to knock, she greeted Kiba. They hung out for the day, laughing and talking. Finally she went back home and got some more sleep.  
The next day was more adjusting back to Konoha life than anything. As were the two days after that. On the fourth day, Junko came back like a silent wind. No one seemed to notice but Kurisutaru. She was so happy and excited to see her back from training. She practically glomped her, but knew better than to actually do it. They spent a few days hanging out once more. On the third day, Junko left her a note telling her to come to the forest where they used to train.  
Of course, she obeyed. Kurisutaru stood in the training grounds, throwing a few kunais, bored. A whistle of kunai flying through the air picked up even after her own had landed. She turned quickly on her heel and formed an earth shield to stop the attacking weapons. “Not going to work, Junko,” she smirked as her friend walked calmly into the clearing. Through her left eye, she noticed that her friend’s chakra grew sinister since the times when they were little. Well, more sinister. She frowned. “What is it Junko?” she asked, noticing her friend was looking depressed.  
She just stared at her, showing the rare emotion in her eyes. Kurisutaru was almost scared. Who could’ve made her feel? Junko pulled one of the kunai from the training dummy Kurisutaru had been using. She cut her hand and threw it at Kurisutaru, who caught it just before it hit her face, making her hand bleed. “I’m sorry, Kurisutaru,” she muttered so the blonde could barely hear, “I’m leaving.”  
“Why?” Kurisutaru asked, trying not to show emotion.  
“I’m going to Orochimaru,” she answered, small pride showing in her eyes.  
“Why?”   
“Is that all you can say?” Junko chuckled. She shook her head. “It’s not to find Sasuke, you know that.”  
Kurisutaru nodded. The two had hated the Uchiha every day they saw him. “I’m going for Kabuto,” Junko continued. She went on and the silver haired boy himself walked out from behind the trees. “I’ve fallen in love with him,” she said as he wrapped his arms around her, “We’ve gotten Orochimaru to allow me to be his little apprentice, though he doesn’t know about our feelings for each other.” She looked longingly into Kabuto’s eyes.  
Kurisutaru smiled and nodded. “I understand that,” she chuckled, “So go. If anyone asks…”  
“Which I doubt they will,” Junko interrupted bitterly.  
“I’ll tell them you decided you needed more training,” the blonde continued, ignoring her friend’s harsh words, “Which, technically, is true.”  
The friends smiled at each other. Kabuto lead Junko away, who called over her shoulder, “My blood is now mixed with yours!” She held up the kunai she had thrown at her friend and continued, “You’ll know when I die or get hurt and I’ll know when you do the same. We’ll always be friends, even when we’re enemies!”  
Kurisutaru smiled and yelled back, “Of course!”  
She watched as they ran away side by side. She couldn’t help but wish she had someone like Junko had Kabuto. She sighed and walked calmly back to the village. She hung out by herself for the next few days.   
It was the second week she was back. She was walking calmly through the village. She kicked a ball back to the kids that were playing with it and smiled. They kicked it back to her and she caught it with her foot, sending it up into the air and hitting it with her forehead back to them. They stared in happy amazement, kicking it playfully back to her and to each other. She giggled as they tried to mimic her.   
A familiar yell made her look up, causing her to get hit in the face with the ball. She fell back slightly but caught herself on her hand and pushed herself onto her knee, catching the ball clumsily. The children laughed and she joined them. She kicked it back over and told them she had to go. They groaned but smiled and waved their good-byes. She watched them run off to play for a minute before looking towards the source of the yell.  
Her eyes widened and she smiled, recognizing the figure immediately. She ran excitedly towards the main pole and stopped in her tracks. “Hey, you knuckle-head!” she screamed up to the top of the pole.   
Naruto looked down and jumped, a smile obvious on his face. “Kurisutaru-chan!” he yelled even though she was already right in front of him.  
They hugged for a minute before shyly pulling away. The hug was loving and happy. “It’s been so long!” Naruto laughed.  
Kurisutaru socked him in the shoulder. “Did you do as I told you?” she teased.  
He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She laughed and nodded. “It seems you’re stronger, yes,” she laughed.   
He put her down and looked her over, as she did he. The blushed slightly, though he gave her a perverted look. “What the hell are you staring at?” Kurisutaru growled playfully.  
“Only those,” he gave her a perverted grin as he pointed two fingers at her chest.  
She blushed and hit him harder in the shoulder. “You’ve learned a little more than needed from Jiraiya!” she laughed, though she blushed majorly.   
He chuckled and picked her up again. “Would you stop that!” she laughed, hitting him in the back.  
He put her down again and grinned. “Did you get stronger?” he asked, trying to grab what her where he used to play.  
She grabbed his wrist and flipped him over. He laughed. “Same old Kurisutaru!” he laughed in pain.   
She helped him up. “I did get a new toy,” she winked at him.  
He blushed, obviously taking her wrong. She rolled her eyes. “I’ll show you later,” she muttered, hearing the rushing steps of the useless girl. “Naruto!” Sakura yelled joyfully.  
“Hey, Sakura-chan!” he yelled in greeting.  
The pink haired girl caught up and stared at Naruto for a minute. They began talking and Kurisutaru backed away slowly, trying to leave unnoticed. She failed; Naruto saw her and grabbed her arm. “Naruto-kun!” she growled at him.  
“Where do you think you’re going?” he smirked at her.  
“Anywhere I can to leave you two alone,” she winked at him.   
He gave her a mischievous look. “I thought you were going to show me something,” he muttered close to her ear, making her blush.  
Sakura gasped in disgust. “What the hell is he talking about?” she yelled, blushing a little too.  
Kurisutaru glared at her. “What s with people taking things the wrong way?” she yelled to no one.  
Naruto only hugged her from behind. Sakura stared at the two. Kurisutaru let there be a moment of silence until she addressed Naruto. “Let go of me,” she growled, blushing another tint of red.   
He grinned evilly and let go only after hugging her tighter. She smirked at him. “Did you really miss me that much you have to keep hugging me?” she laughed.  
He chuckled, but didn’t answer, which made her blush yet another shade of red. “I’ll leave you to meet up with everyone,” she waved to Naruto with a wink, “When you’re done I’ll show you.”  
Sakura stared from blonde to blonde until finally stopping to stare at Naruto in disgust. Kurisutaru rolled her eyes as she walked away. She walked casually back to her house, looking thoughtfully at her sword. Sooner than expected, Naruto knocked at the door. She panicked, not knowing what to do with the sword. She wanted to hide it, but where. She grew grim as she walked towards the door. She quickly stuck it down one of her pant legs and pulled her shirt over the handle.   
As she twisted the door knob, Naruto busted through. “Hi, Kurisutaru-chan!” he yelled.  
“You can stop yelling now,” she chuckled, rubbing her ear.   
He looked around curiously. “So where’s this new toy?” he smirked at her.  
She blushed but grinned. She began lifting up her shirt, causing his eyes to widen. She gently reached for the hidden sword, which probably appeared to just be more teasing to Naruto because his eyes grew huge and there was a hint of blush creeping across his face. Swiftly, she pulled it out of its sheath and pointed it at Naruto, who stared blankly. Then he smiled. “That is so cool!” he laughed.  
He poked the tip of the sharp blade, causing his finger to bleed. He winced slightly and put the bloody finger to his mouth. Kurisutaru smiled nervously. “Sorry, I should’ve warned you,” she apologized.   
He grinned playfully and began slowly making his way towards her. “If you’re really sorry,” he murmured playfully sad, “Then you’d kiss it better!” He pretended to pout and held up his index finger to her.   
She blushed but did as told, gently placing her lips on his finger and kissed lightly, licking up the blood with a small dab of her tongue. Her chest fluttered as a cadged bird tried to make its way out through her throat. She released it after a second that felt like forever and giggled so she could only hear. He blushed as well but smiled, staring at the finger.   
They blushed a deep red and looked away. Kurisutaru pulled the sheath out of her pant and put the sword back in it gently. Then she fastened it behind her. “Now what?” she murmured quietly though loud enough that Naruto could hear.  
“I’m not sure,” he replied hesitantly, rubbing the back of his head.   
They stood in silence for a moment. She began heading out the door. She looked back at him. “You coming?” she called, smiling.  
He gazed at her for a moment before smiling and nodding, chuckling the stupid cute way he does. She couldn’t help but blush. She wanted to squeal in joy but refrained. They got outside and walked side by side for a while until Sakura ran up to them again. “Have fun,” she whispered to Naruto, trying to slip away, “But not too much fun!”  
He grabbed her wrist before she could go again. “Naruto, no!” she growled, glaring, “Let me go! I’m trying to leave you two alone!”  
She saw the slightest shake of his head. “Last time you left me alone with her I got beat up!” he muttered so only she could hear, “Stay with me, please!”  
She blushed at his request and sighed. She snapped her wrist out of his hand but stayed. They tried to smile when the pink-haired girl ran up, both smiles failing miserably. “Kurisutaru!” Sakura addressed seriously, “Kiba was looking for you!”  
Kurisutaru looked at her as if she was insane but shrugged it off. “So?” she asked.  
“What if it’s important?”  
“Did he seem scared or hurt or in need?”  
The girl paused to think but shook her head. “Excited, actually…”  
“Then it can wait,” the blonde girl dismissed.   
Sakura looked at her for a moment and then at Naruto and back. “What happened?” she asked frowning.  
The two looked at each other and shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean, Sakura-chan,” Naruto murmured.  
“You two….” She began, looking them over again, making the blondes tense. “Something’s up with you two…. What happened back at Kurisutaru-san’s place?”  
“Since when did you start calling me Kurisutaru-san?” the blonde girl growled under her breath.   
Naruto heard and smiled, trying not to laugh. “Naruto-kun?” the pink-haired girl cooed sweetly to get him to talk.  
It didn’t work.   
He only shook his head and grinned wider. “I don’t know what you mean,” he chuckled.  
“Yes you do!” Sakura pouted.  
Kurisutaru sighed. “You wanna know what happened?” she growled at Sakura, pretending to rub her head but reached for her sword.   
She swiftly brought the blade out of the case and pointed it at Sakura. The annoying girl screamed and jumped back, making the blondes laugh. “That was mean, Kurisutaru-chan!” Naruto laughed, patting her back.  
“She wanted to know!” the blonde girl laughed back, “I just showed her!”  
Sakura glared at them but didn’t say a word. “Well, I guess I should go find what the hell Kiba wanted,” Kurisutaru dismissed herself, still laughing.  
Naruto nodded sadly but still laughed. She waved her farewells and ran gleefully to the forest. She found Kiba and they talked. He only wanted to see her, excited over nothing. Of course, this still made her smile. They hung out the rest of the day.   
The next day, Kurisutaru caught up with Naruto. “Hey!” she yelled at him, trying to grab his attention.  
It worked. He waited for her to run up. “What goes on?” she asked.   
He smiled sadly. “They replaced Sasuke with some creep,” he muttered.  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she whispered.  
“It’s not your fault,” he looked at the sky, “Although I’d be happier if it was you on the team instead of him.”  
She blushed. “You know they’d never do that,” she chuckled nervously, shuffling her feet.  
He shrugged. “I still wish they would!”  
They smiled at each other for a moment or two. “Hey,” he began, “How about you come over to my place tonight?”  
She coked her head to one side, blushing in confusion. “You let me stay at your house,” he said blushing quickly, “I thought I’d let you stay at mine.”   
She smiled and nodded. “Sounds fair,” she told him, blushing.  
“See you tonight then?” he asked.  
She nodded and went back to her house. It was about five o’clock and she took a quick nap. She was tired and fell asleep quickly. She had almost a flashback of a dream. The time he had spent the night at her house flashed on the movie screen behind her eyes.   
She woke up, startled. The dream had come to the time Naruto was coming out of the shower. She felt the heat rise to her face and sit. The red made her face a rose. She looked at the time and walked out of her house. She had taken a two hour nap.   
Kurisutaru ran into Naruto on her walk. They hung out, going to Ichiraku Ramen to eat. He was broke so she had to pay. Luckily, she had just enough. “I’ll pay you back, I promise!” he kept apologizing.   
She smiled and shook her head. “Just keep our first promise and you’re forgiven,” she laughed back.   
He frowned but nodded, truly disappointed in himself. They walked to his apartment. He opened it and let her walk in first. She flipped on the light switch for him. His place was messy, clothes and ramen cups scattered all over the floors. She couldn’t help but smile. “Sorry for the mess,” he smiled, moving away a dirty shirt and five ramen cups with one movement of the foot.  
She chuckled. “Don’t worry about it,” she dismissed the thought.   
She followed him to his room and he looked through his closet. He tossed her a pair of white pajamas. “Sorry, I only have the one size,” he smiled nervously, blushing.   
She nodded and headed for the bathroom. She was scared at how well she knew the place already. She took off her clothes and put on the white pajamas. The pants were sagging slightly, but luckily stayed on her hips and not the floor. She buttoned up the shirt, rolling up the sleeves to fit her arms better. They were comfortable and big. She sighed and walked out of the room.   
She stopped in the doorway, blushing madly. Naruto looked up from buttoning his shirt. He smiled at her. She was hiding her face in the sleeves, which had rolled back into full length. The left side had slipped off her shoulder, exposing her skin and thin bra strap. He grinned wider. “A little big?” he chuckled, red dusted over his cheeks.   
Kurisutaru couldn’t help but smile. She jumped into the bed, landing on her knees as the bed bounced for a while and stopped. She flopped backwards so her head landed on the pillow. She heard him chuckle. “You’re cute,” she heard him whisper.  
He obviously didn’t notice he said it and she put the sleeves back to her face to hide her embarrassment. He smiled and chuckled. He laid down beside her. “Good night!” she smiled.  
“Good night…” he whispered back.  
She flipped onto her side, putting her back to him. But she didn’t sleep. She listened to his movements, figuring out every move. He shifted to flip so their backs were to each other, but decided against it and flipped so he was facing her. He went to place a hand on her shoulder but pulled back.   
Kurisutaru smirked evilly. He was so hesitant, but she was ready to scare him. She could tell the ball of the tip of his cap had bounced in front of his face. She closed her eyes, holding back a snicker. She prepared to turn, shifting her weight lightly.  
Quickly, she turned and bit the ball in front of his face. “Nom!” she laughed as she did so.   
She could tell he blushed and she smirked. “I got it!” she laughed the cheer, muffled by the little ball in-between her teeth.   
He looked at her with wide blue eyes. She let go and laughed, closing her eyes for a moment. She could feel herself getting warmer and opened her right eye. Naruto was inches from her face, making her blush even more. The way he looked at her didn’t help, either. She chuckled nervously but stopped. He pressed his nose against hers, making her blush even more.   
She could tell he grinned, but his eyes were still gazing at her oddly. She blinked twice an put her sleeves back up and hid her mouth. “Naruto-kun?” she whispered.  
“Yeah?” he breathed.  
She could feel his breath through her pajamas. It made her shiver even though it was warm. She blushed harder and she was sure he noticed, even in the darkening room. She blushed. She wanted to close her eyes and squeak, but suppressed the urge.   
He brought up his hands and touched them to hers. He pulled her hands away from her face, accidentally sliding the left shoulder of her pajama back down again. By this point she was so red it almost light up the room. He closed his eyes. She tensed, ready for what she wished would happen next.  
She heard him give throaty snore. She closed her eyes and smiled, though she was really pissed. Sighing that she didn’t know why she was so angry, she flipped back over. She felt his breath on the back of her neck. She shuddered slightly. She didn’t want to admit it, even to herself, but she enjoyed it. She bit her lip to hold back a pleasured groan. She closed her eyes and kept them closed.  
She felt him wrap his arms lightly around her. She couldn’t help but snap her eyes back open. He was nibbling her ear lightly. She let out her groan, unable to keep it in. She went limp, letting him take even more control over her. He held her a little more tightly, kissing her cheek gently. She turned over, meeting her lips with his. The two’s lips danced for a while. They pulled away for air, smiling. “Kurisutaru-chan,” he said lovingly.  
“Naruto-kun,” she giggled.  
“Kurisutaru-chan,” his voice grew distant, almost urgent, yet soothing.   
She frowned, listening to him repeat her name. Finally, someone poked her back. She jerked forward into something, crying out in pain. She opened her tight eyes only to find herself back in darkness. It was a warm darkness. She pulled back, feeling a small warm area on her back. Blinking, she noticed it was a shirt. She blushed, realizing who’s shirt it was. “Naruto-kun!” she yelled, jumping back into his hand.   
He stared at her. He was blushing. “What were you dreaming about,” he asked.  
“I,” she began, not even knowing how much of it was a dream, “I don’t remember.”  
They stared at each other for a moment, blushing. She jumped over him and landed on the floor. “Can I use your shower?” she asked over her shoulder.  
He nodded, dumbfounded at how quickly she changed. She smiled and walked calmly into the shower. She stepped into the shower after stripping. She turned the water on and looked up at the shower head. The water soothed her skin and welcomed her.   
She let the water cover her skin and comfort her. She began humming a favorite song of hers. It was one she felt that suited the moment: I’m With You. She let the hum morph into a song. “I’m with you,” she sang quietly.  
She finished up and turned off the water. She reached for a towel, humming again. She dried herself off and stepped out of the shower. Her clothes had gone from the bathroom. She wrapped the towel around herself, happy that is was long, and stepped out of the bathroom.   
Naruto looked up, pants only halfway on. They blushed. “Don’t you knock when leaving the bathroom?” he teased though his face was growing redder and redder.   
She shook her head, smiling. “Where’s my clothes?” she asked.  
He pulled his pants up and nodded to the bed side. Her clothes were laid out like she did for him back when they were little. She grabbed her clothes quickly and signaled for him to turn around. He sighed and obeyed, pulling his shirt on and sliding his jacket on. She quickly put her bra and shirt on, sliding the towel down to her hips. Then she pulled on her underwear and pants, turning around and telling him he could do so as well as she slid them on.   
They smiled at each other, still red in the face. They headed towards the kitchen, bumping into each other playfully along the way. They sat down and ate cereal quickly before leaving. They laughed and talked for a while until Kurisutaru decided she should go home for a minute. He nodded and she left for her house. She quickly ran to her empty home and grabbed her headband. She tied it around her head quickly and tied her hair in a very low and loose ponytail.   
She walked calmly out of her house and jumped roofs till she heard a voice yell at her. She stopped and looked down. It was Kiba. Jumping down, she landed in front of him. He smirked at her, though his eyes were sad and jealous. “I heard you spent the night at Naruto’s,” he laughed.  
She blushed madly. “I, err…. That fast? How did you hear?” she dodged.   
“Oh, I overheard Ino telling Shikamaru,” he smirked, “Apparently she heard it from Sakura who was told by Naruto.”  
Kurisutaru’s smirk twitched angrily. “That little,” she growled to herself, eyes narrowed dangerously.   
Kiba only laughed. “So it’s true?”   
She nodded, sighing. “I hope he’s not spreading lies,” she whispered mainly to herself.  
The dog boy cocked his head. “Like what?” he chuckled.  
She shook her head. “Like we did something wrong or something,” she admitted, “I don’t want something start. Though, it probably will. All people need is the base truth to start something…” She added the last part thoughtfully.  
She sighed. He smirked. “What did happen?” he asked, smirking.  
Kurisutaru looked up at him, startled. “Why? What else did you hear?” she asked, suddenly protective of her privacy.  
He widened his eyes but replied calmly, “Nothing, I just want to know.”  
It was her turn to smirk. “Why?” she asked, circling him, “Jealous?”   
His grin was pathetic. “No!” he lied, “Why would I be?”  
Kurisutaru laughed. “Ouch!” she said, pretending to be hurt.   
“Oh!” he realized his mistake, “Sorry, that came out wrong! I, uh….”  
She laughed hard. “So you admit that you’re jealous!” she chuckled, pointing at him with a sharp nail.  
He smacked his forehead, making her laugh harder. Kiba looked at her sadly. “Would you stop playing and answer me?” he faked a laugh.   
She laughed but nodded. “Nothing,” she laughed, blushing at the thought of what really happened, “He treated me—or I treated him—to some ramen. Then we went back to his place and…” She wanted to word the next part so it didn’t seem dirty. “We slept in the same bed,” she tried.  
Kiba laughed. “You two slept together?” he laughed.  
“Shush!” she hissed at him, “You make it sound wrong!”   
He laughed even harder. “Naruto got some!” he yelled, making her punch him hard in the shoulder and sending him to the ground. He still laughed.  
“Shut up!” she yelled back, “You’re so wrong! That’s not what happened.”  
She heard footsteps behind her but ignored them. It was when arms wrapped around her that she reacted. She gasped angrily and tried to look at who it was. It was Naruto. “N-Naruto-kun?” she asked, still mad.  
By this point she had already been blushing madly at what Kiba was saying and Naruto hugging her from behind didn’t help. He hushed her gently, making her quiver, though in anger or in pleasure she didn’t know. She hated how much he made her feel good. “Shhh-,” he whispered in her ear, “No need to hide it.”  
The way his voice held so much love made her melt, but of course she didn’t show it. She closed her eyes and tightened her fists. She brought them up to her mouth and quickly down into his stomach. He released her, holding onto his stomach in pain. “Stop being a liar!” she yelled at him, “We did nothing of the sort!”  
He grinned and placed his chin on her shoulder so his mouth was right by her ear. “You wish we did though,” he grunted into her ear.   
She closed her eyes in anger and stepped on his foot, making him lift his head. Then she turned, eyes open, and socked his stomach with all the strength she wanted to use. He flew back onto the ground beside Kiba. “You two!” she growled, her face so red it would’ve been noticeable from the Sand Village.  
She turned on her heal and ran away, trying to stop herself from blushing. She ran into an alley and stopped midway through. She banged her head against the wall as she felt a tear sliding down her face. “What the hell?” she asked herself harshly for crying and blushing.  
She wiped the tear away, trying not to shed any more. She punched the wall across from her. It was a narrow ally so it only took moving her arm. She sighed and walked further down the alley. It grew darker and darker. “Boo,” she heard someone laugh from behind.  
In one movement, Kurisutaru grabbed the person and threw them over her shoulder. She heard a familiar yell of pain before realizing it was the blonde. “Naruto, baka!” she growled at him.   
He chuckled nervously, rubbing his head. “Gomen, gomen!” he chuckled in pain.   
They walked out of the alley only to be stared at by judging eyes. “What?” Kurisutaru growled to everyone that was staring.  
They looked away but snickered to each other. She glared at all of them. She stormed away angrily, aware that Naruto was following her. She turned to him. “What?” she spat.  
He looked at her, stunned. She felt bad at how in pain she made him feel. She looked down, holding her head. “Aw man! Sorry, Naruto-kun!” she sighed.  
“I-it’s okay, Kurisutaru-chan,” he murmured, looking at the ground.  
They stood in silence. “It’s just…” she started.  
“It’s okay,” he repeated.  
They looked into each other’s eyes for an intense moment. They spoke each other’s names at the same time. They blushed lightly. Kurisutaru couldn’t help but gaze into his eyes dreamily. He seemed nervous, but it was just so cute. “Kurisutaru-chan…” he whispered, making her blush harder. His voice was just so genuine, so pure and heartfelt.  
“Naruto-kun?” she urged him.  
He looked to the ground and turned so his side was to her. “N-nothing,” he stuttered, “It’s nothing. At all….”  
She raised an eyebrow at him then sighed. “Fine,” she shrugged, “Just remember, I may not be here tomorrow….”  
He looked at her, startled and scared. “What do you mean by that?” he asked, truly frightened.  
She shook her head. “I just mean that, tomorrow, I may be given a mission. Then I might die or—”  
“Don’t you say anything like that!” he growled at her, making her wince.  
“I’m just saying!” she growled, “Or maybe I’ll be captured and tortured.”  
“I’d never let that happen to you,” he whispered, obviously not meaning for her to hear, “If it did I’d come to you and I’d save you.”  
She blushed and looked away, trying not to let him see she heard. “And I mean,” she whispered to herself, “I’d never betray the Leaf like Sasuke did but that could happen, too….”  
He didn’t hear but smiled at her anyway. “I guess a few things could happen to you,” he murmured, “To all of us.”  
She smiled. She could feel him stepping slowly closer to her. He put his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and smiling. “Kurisutaru-chan,” he whispered.   
“Naruto-kun,” she whispered back.  
“You know you wish we did,” he chuckled.  
“You know you’ll regret saying that,” she laughed back, head butting his head.   
He stepped backwards, holding onto his head with one hand. Yet, he still smiled. They laughed and she healed whatever damage she did to him during the day. “Baka,” she whispered lovingly to him.  
He only smiled at her. They laughed and hung out for the rest of the day, or at least until Sakura came and took him away. Kurisutaru couldn’t help but stick her tongue out at the pink haired girl angrily as they walked away. She stood there for a minute, holding her arm. Shifting her feet, she thought about what she should do next.   
She turned to walk away and came face to face with Kiba. “You’re too cute,” he laughed flirtatiously.   
She blushed. “Why do you say that?” she murmured, looking to her side.  
He smiled. “Oh, no reason,” he shrugged.  
He smirked and grabbed her waist, startling her. Akamaru bounded up and stopped beside them, licking her face. She giggled and petted the large dog. “It’s been so long, boy!” she laughed.  
The dog only barked in reply, wagging his tail happily. “Akamaru’s missed you,” Kiba laughed.   
She giggled. Akamaru bent his head down and she jumped onto his back skillfully. The dog boy stared at her in awe. “You’ve obviously done that before,” he commented.  
She smirked. “I have wolf summons,” she explained.  
He nodded and hopped on behind her. Akamaru began running swiftly throughout the village. Kurisutaru cheered, happy to feel the wind on her face. She missed riding but knew her wolf summons wouldn’t like it if that’s the only reason why she summoned them. They had pretty bad tempers.   
Kurisutaru stood on Akamaru’s back, startling Kiba. “What are you doing?” he asked, reaching out a hand to get her back down.  
She smirked at him, making him pull back. “Akamaru’s running to the forest,” she commented.  
She surfed the wind on the large dog’s back, left hand on a bent left knee and right hand tailing the wind. As they reached the trees, Kurisutaru prepared herself by squatting down a little more. Akamaru barked when they were a good ways in the forest. Taking it as a cue, she flipped off the dog’s back, landing on her feet and running beside them for a while. “Thanks for the ride!” she laughed, running in the other direction with her last words.   
“Show off!” she heard Kiba call.  
She chuckled and ran faster. Once she was sure she was only she slowed down to a walk. She looked at the forest around her. It seemed so peaceful. She sat down by a tree and took out her sketchbook. She loved to draw, though no one knew about it. She looked through her previous drawings. There was at least one of each person she knew in the Leaf.  
There was one of Shikamaru sleeping on a rooftop. She had noticed him doing it once and couldn’t help but to draw him. It was so funny! Then there was the one of Ino and Sakura. She didn’t bother using more than one paper on the two; she hated them. However, she did draw them walking and laughing and then drew them dead on the back. She thought it was one of her best works. She drew Gai’s team together on one paper. She thought it was a cute picture that portrayed each person’s personality greatly. Then, of course, there was a drawing of Choji eating at a ramen bar with Asuma, Shikamaru, and Naruto. She loved that picture; it was so cute and funny yet so true.   
Then she came to a drawing of Naruto and Kiba. Around the two were question marks. Then a picture of herself and Kiba. Kiba had her in a headlock and she was trying to get out, both of them smiling. She hated the way she drew herself, but loved the way she drew everyone else. Then there was a picture of herself and Naruto. Naruto was hugging her from behind and she was blushing and trying to look at him. She blushed at the thought of how many times that’s really happened.   
There were several more pictures of Naruto in various forms and positions. There was even one of the Nine Tailed Fox. She loved that one; it was by far her best picture yet. Then there was him in his Tailed-Beast state. She frowned. Not because of the drawing or how many there were of Naruto, but because she knew how much pain the stupid Fox had caused him. She closed her eyes and a tear dripped onto the drawing of Naruto in the hospital, smearing the pencil.   
The leaves rustled above her head though there was no wind. She looked up, startled. She stood quickly and hid her sketchbook. She then ran behind a different tree to hide. Stupid, she growled to herself, they’ve already seen you!  
She jumped onto a sturdy branch and looked through the neighboring trees. She spotted a shadow below her and jumped higher. She watched the forest floor as two figures made their way towards her tree. They didn’t seem interested in her, though. She jumped down and landed in front of them, startling them slightly.   
Their red clouded cloaks gave her the knowledge that they were Akatsuki. “You’ve come for the Kyuubi, haven’t you?” she growled to the two in the cloaks.  
One was short and fat, though it didn’t seem like it was the man’s real appearance. Noticing she had used her eyes to sense this, she brought her headband down over it to keep it from seeing unwanted or unneeded items of information. As she looked through her right eye, she noticed the taller person next to the first had his hair similar to hers with a bang hanging over the left eye. “We actually came for a person by the name of Kurisutaru Shizuka,” was the husky voice of the shorter man.   
“What do you want with her?” Kurisutaru growled, not giving away that she was who they were looking for.   
“You’re coming with us, un!” the taller of the two said. Kurisutaru didn’t know whether he was a girl or not, but by his voice she decided he was a man.  
“Who says I’m her?” she retorted.  
“I do!” the blonde man growled.  
“Prove it!” she insisted, jumping into the tree behind her and forward into another tree.  
She ran quickly through the treetops, aware of the men chasing her. When she felt like she was a good ways away, she stopped and made a shadow clone. The copy and original nodded to each other. The clone transformed into a hawk and flew swiftly away for the Leaf Village. She threw kunai at the two as they came closer, giving the real Kurisutaru a chance to run.  
She smirked as she ran even quicker through the trees. She was being lazy, merely playing with her foes, giving a chance for the clone to get to the Hokage, Lady Tsunade.   
As the clone landed in the window of the building, she transformed. Quickly, the cloned blonde rushed to the Hokage’s side. “Tsunade-sama!” she breathed, tried from flying so fast.  
“Kurisutaru-chan?” Tsunade asked, bewildered, “What are you doing here?”  
“Gomen, but Akatsuki have reached the village,” the clone breathed, “The real me is luring them away from the village as we speak.”  
“I see,” the Hokage murmured, “Any idea what they want?”  
The clone was silent for a moment. “Me,” she murmured finally, “As far as I know. But one did say ‘You’re coming with us.’”  
Tsunade thought for a moment. “They probably have heard about your skills. It seems like you’re almost as famous as Naruto,” the Hokage thought aloud, “They must’ve heard about you and are going to force you to join.”  
Clone Kurisutaru sighed and nodded. “Then I will,” she muttered half to herself, “I can be like a spy for the Leaf.”   
The two women looked at each other. The Hokage nodded and Kurisutaru made one last request. “I’m probably going to be called back any time now,” she said, “Please, tell Naruto to remember his promise to me and that I—”  
The clone disappeared. The real Kurisutaru sighed, realizing what was said between clone and Hokage. She stood alone, waiting, on the last branch she landed on. When they were taking a little while, she decided to sit down. Leaning against the trunk of the tree, she took out a small sketch book and pencil and began drawing a bird that was sitting on her foot.   
The bird flew away before she can add the last detail and she looked down at the forest floor. “You scared off my model!” she yelled at the two Akatsuki members.  
They just looked at her and she showed them the picture. She sighed and pictured the bird, adding in that last detail with her eyes closed. “You scared off my birdie!” she frowned, showing the picture to them again.  
“Come down here, un!” the blonde yelled back, ignoring her words.  
“No! You scared off my birdie!” she repeated, crossing her arms and looking away defiantly.   
“Then I’ll just have to come up, un!”   
With his words, the Akatsuki member jumped up into the tree beside her. Startled, Kurisutaru leaned away, causing herself to fall off the branch. She turned so she landed on her feet and caught her sketch pad, which had been on her lap. She looked over her picture and smiled as she saw the same bird a few inches away from her. “You’re cute,” she giggled to the bird, ignoring her foes, “I think I’ll call you…. Yusha! Because you look a little like Naruto-kun with your black and orange patterns and blue eyes, plus you’re very brave coming back.”   
The little bird hopped over to her and flew into her hands. She smiled and put it on her head. “Stay there, Yusha,” she giggled.  
The bird sat calmly on her head as the Akatsuki walked up to her. “My birdie came back, so I forgive you!” Kurisutaru smiled happily.  
The blonde looked at her as if she was insane. She only smiled back and walked away from them. “Hey!” she heard the man call after her, “Where do you think you’re going, un?”   
“I don’t know,” she chuckled honestly, “Maybe I’ll fly away with Yusha and live a happy life afterwards.”  
Her half sarcasm made the blonde Akatsuki member even angrier. “You’re coming with us, un!” he growled.  
“Jeez, you’re demanding!” she laughed at him, “All you have to do is ask and tell me what it is you want!”  
She waited patiently for the blonde to gather himself. In the meantime, the short, wooden looking one answered for his partner. “We have come to take you to the Akatsuki,” he said in his crackly voice, “Leader-sama wished to have your skills in the organization and sent us to get you.”  
“He does know that I’m connected with the Kyuubi and might not join, right?” she asked calmly.  
“We’re not asking,” the blonde sighed, “We’re taking you to join whether you like it or not.”  
She sighed. “I guess there’s no use fighting it, then?” she chuckled.  
The blonde man smirked and shook his head. She smirked back. “Can I have a drink before you take me away?” she asked honestly, “I’m really thirsty.”  
The blonde man stepped forward, still smirking. He handed her a drink and she drank it, not caring what it was. She smiled and blinked. Her vision blurred and she blinked again. It was almost like water was gathering up in her eye, though she knew there wasn’t. Suddenly it blurred so much it looked black and she fell to her knees. She closed her eyes and let herself black out.   
In what felt like a minute of sleep, she was awake again. She blinked a few times to clear out her eyes. She realized that her headband was removed from her head and her hair moved away from her left eye. “Oh crap!” she cursed to herself.  
She looked around frantically for anyone. The first person she saw was the blonde who had tried to capture her at her side. “What the hell was in that drink?” she yelled at him.  
He smirked evilly but shrugged. “Calm down,” she heard a different male voice in front of her.   
She looked at a shadowed figure with purple eyes. “Who the hell are you?” she asked, lowering her voice.   
“I am the leader,” he said simply and Kurisutaru knew she wasn’t going to get any more out of him.  
“What do you want?” she asked, the seriousness making its way into her voice, “Where’s Yusha?”  
“That bird?” the blonde man asked, “Oh, he’s in a cadge.”  
“You cadged him?” she growled, “That’s just uncalled for!”  
“You’ll get him back,” the leader said simply, “But first we have business.”  
Kurisutaru gritted her teeth. “You guys are so stupid!” She growled, “You don’t have to tie me up and cadge my new friend just to demand I join!” She signaled to her tied hands as she growled at him.  
“We take no chances,” the leader stated calmly.  
“I’ll join! I’ll be loyal!” she growled, “Just release me and my bird, damn it!”   
“Prove it,” the leader said calmly, pushing her headband towards her, “Mark your loyalty to the Akatsuki and disloyalty to the Leaf.”  
Her heart gave a huge pound in her chest. She didn’t want to, but she knew she had to. Kurisutaru reached for a kunai in her pocket and cut the ropes that bound her arms together. She swiftly took her hand to her headband and tried to remember all that the Leaf had done wrong to her. Images of her parents living happily then dying came to mind, the Leaf not telling her themselves after so many years.  
Her hand tensed, ready to cut.  
She remembered how no one noticed her when she was younger, the problems with Kiba after they met. When they were older, the crap she had to go through with Sasuke and his fan-girls. Still older, the crap she still had to face with everyone but Naruto. Naruto. The reason why she was joining the Akatsuki in the first place.  
She stifled a sigh.   
She wanted to be with him again, yet she knew that she had to join the stupid organization. She growled to herself.   
She closed her eyes.  
The kunai met the metal of her headband.  
She took all those hateful feelings and sliced through the Konoha symbol. “Damn you, Konoha,” she hissed to the symbol, “Damn you…!”  
She looked up at the leader, taking her headband and fastening around her head, keeping it away from her eye. She glared at him. “What next?” she muttered hatefully.


	3. Akatsuki

               The leader nodded. “You’re bird is in your new room,” he simply stated, “Deidara, you will take her to her room.”

               With the final words, Leader-sama stood and left into the shadows. “Can I trust him?” Kurisutaru yelled after him, knowing she wouldn’t get a reaction.

               “Hey, un!” the blonde frowned, “Don’t you know you can trust anyone here, un?”

She glared at him. “Don’t you mean I can’t?” she spat, walking down one of the halls, “I can find it myself!”

“Right, un,” the blonde man said sarcastically, “And I can fly, un!”

“You can, can’t you!” she yelled over her shoulder.

There was a moment of silence and she knew he understood she was right. She smirked, making her way down the halls. “Hey!” she heard him call to her, followed by footsteps growing closer, “Leader-sama told me to show you your new room. I have to at least go with you, un.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t protest. There was something about the man that she almost liked; almost. “So your name’s Deidara?” she asked casually.

He looked at her and smirked. “So you’re interested, un?” he asked slyly.

She rolled her eyes, though her face grew a little warm. “I might as well know who I’m stuck with here in the Akatsuki,” she muttered crossly.

He let out a chuckle. “I know there’s Kisame and Itachi,” she continued, “Of course, Leader-sama, too. Then there’s you, Deidara. Who else is in this? What’s your partner’s name?”

He seemed to understand she was truly interested. “My partner is Sasori no Dana, un,” he said, almost proudly, “He claims that he’s an artist, but I don’t believe it, un. He thinks art is something that should last forever; I think it’s something that’s should be of a single moment, un!” He looked at her.

She looked thoughtfully ahead of her, trying to pay as much attention as possible to the artist “of a single moment” as possible while using her eye to find her room. “I noticed you were drawing earlier, un,” he said, bringing her full attention to him, though she still didn’t show it, “Are you an artist, too, un?”

She tried not to look at him or away from where she was staring; it was harder than she thought. “I draw, yes,” she murmured so quietly she wasn’t sure he heard.

He did. “What side do you take, un?” he asked, “Art lasts forever or for a single moment?”

She thought for a moment. She opened her mouth to reply but was quickly cut off by a shrill shriek of a bird. “Yusha!” she screamed in horror, running to the source.

She heard the blonde following her but paid no attention. She reached her room and ran through the door to find someone with her bird. “Who the hell is this Bi—” the man white haired began, but never got to finish.

Kurisutaru lunged at him, catching him off guard and knocking him to the floor. Yusha was cornered in his cage, blood dripping from his wings. Kurisutaru bared her teeth at the man, her instincts getting ahead of her. “What the hell were you doing to my bird?” she growled at the shirtless man, clawing at his skin.

“Get off me, bitch!” he yelled.

“Not until you explain yourself, you fat baka!” she retorted.

He grabbed her arms with muscular hands. She closed her eyes, kneeing him in the place where sun don’t shine. He grunted, his expression changing for a slight moment. She couldn’t read it in the second that it was there but she didn’t care. She felt a hand grab her collar, and lift her off the man. As she was raised into the air she took the chance to rake her nails across his bare skin and kick him in the same place she kneed and the chin with different feet at the same moment.

He growled in pain, though it seemed like a happy growl. “Kurisutaru, that won’t work, un,” she heard Deidara’s voice hiss by her ear, “He _loves_ pain, un.”

“Who in the name of Jashin is this bitch anyway?” she heard the white haired man growl, blood dripping down his chin.

“Who the hell are you, grandpa?” she spat.

Deidara sighed. “This is Hidan, un,” he explained, annoyed, “He is the Jashin worshiper, though we all think he’s making the crap up, un.”

“May Jashin smite you, you girly bastard!” Hidan growled, “And I’m not any older than you, bitch!”

“Stop calling me that, idiot,” she sighed, “And I highly doubt you’re sixteen.”

The idiot seemed interested. “A virgin?” he asked.

“Why the HELL do YOU wanna KNOW, GRANDPA?” she yelled at him, blushing and clenching her fists.

“I TOLD YOU I’M NOT A DAMN GRANDPA!!”

“You look like one! Now get out of my room you perv!”

He was silent at her new retort. “She got you there, Hidan, un,” Deidara laughed.

The white haired man glared at the blondes. “I’ll leave you damn girls alone,” he decided, licking up his blood and walking out of the room. He tried to grab the bird with him but Kurisutaru stopped him, stepping in front of the cage and glaring at him. He scowled and walked out.

She looked at the bird, heartbroken at how in pain it looked. She took it gently out of its prison with her fingers and set it on her bed. Yusha twitched in pain but made no other moves to escape. She pressed her left hand on its injured wing and let out a deep breath, creating chakra to heal it. She could tell the older blonde was watching in silence but didn’t care. The green chakra quickly healed the wound in the bird’s wing, but left the blood already spilled that turned the orange feathers a deep red. She sighed and helped the bird to its feet with a finger. Yusha looked at her and chirped its thanks. She smiled and nodded. “Wow, un,” she heard the blonde mutter.

She looked up at him. “What?” she asked, eyes dark with sadness.

“I’ve never seen—I never thought I’d see—anyone stand up to Hidan like that so he left and then turn around and heal a _bird_ , un,” he muttered, “Just surprised me is all, un.”

She looked back at the bird. She felt tears threaten to leave her eyes but made them stay, not letting them fall. “It’s not that big of a deal,” she began.

“Obviously you don’t know Hidan, un,” he chuckled, “No one can stand up to him like that, un. I think that was the least amount of cussing her did, un!”

“I appreciate it, and all,” she began, “But can you stop ending your sentences with “un?” It’s giving me a headache….”

He smirked and shook his head. “No can do, un,” he grinned.

She sighed but didn’t press the matter. She tried and she was tired. She stood and went to the closet. There was a cloak hanging in the door, like she suspected. She took it and folded it up around her hand. She tossed her sketchpad on her bed and the bag that she put it in along with it. She realized the boy was still in the room with her and was making a move to look at her work. Quickly, she took a single kunai and threw it past the man’s nose. He stopped and looked at her, anger written all over his face. “What the hell was that, un?” he yelled.

She glared at him. “No touching the drawings!” she growled, walking over and snatching up the book from the bed.

She walked over to the drawers where the cage was and studied them, thing of the best place to put it. There was one with a lock on it. There was a key to it by the cage. She grabbed it and unlocked the drawer and slid the sketchbook into it quickly, shutting the drawer almost directly after. The locked it as soon as it was shut.

She turned to the boy and scowled, tossing the key and catching it skillfully. “No, no,” she growled, “No, no.”

He frowned but shrugged. He sat on the bed as she emptied out her backpack. “Why are you still here?” she asked, not looking at him. 

He shrugged, but laid down with no intentions of getting up to leave. She sighed, but left him be. She looked at what she had, frowning. There wasn’t much. Only a few kunai and two pencils.

There was a note on top of the pile. She stared at it for a minute, wonder what she should do. Then she remembered Deidara. She tried to grab it, but he snatched it up before she could so much as touch it. She growled at him, which seemed to encourage the man. She lunged at him as he began to open the note.

He had sat up, so when she lunged she landed on his lap as he pulled the note out of reach. “Damn it, Blondie!” she growled, still trying to grab the note but always falling back onto his lap.

“Don’t call me Blondie, Blondie, un!” he laughed back, still trying to open the note.

She realized he was having fun with her and she growled. She got ready for one last try. She lunged for the note, grabbing the corner and yanking it out of his hand. She laughed in triumph and rolled off his lap and onto the ground. She ran into her closet and hid quickly. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the dark and she read the note. “Kurisutaru-chan,” she read to herself, “I love you, I always have. From, Kiba.” She blushed. “He must’ve slid it into my backpack earlier today…”

“How lame, un!” she heard a voice behind her.

She jumped up, realizing she was resting against the blonde Akatsuki member. She ran out of the closet and to her new bed. She was holding the note close to her chest protectively. Deidara walked calmly out of the closet and up to her. “Who’s Kiba anyway, un?” he asked nosily.

She scowled at him. “Nobody you need to know about,” she hissed.

He smirked. “I think I do, un,” he stated.

She growled a deep, throaty growl. She ripped the note, feeling a tear in her heart as she did. She closed her eyes, trying to forget about whatever love she had in Konoha. Yet, a little love stayed and she knew exactly for who. She could feel the tears come back to her eyes. She blinked her eyes open, trying to rid of the tears. It worked and she glared at the man in front of her. “Get out,” she growled, “I’ll be out in a minute anyway. So just get out!”

She shoved him out and slammed the door. She turned, letting all the tears leave her eyes. She couldn’t remember when the last time she cried was. She fell to the floor, back against the door. Something stabbed her foot and she looked up to see Yusha staring at her concernedly. She hugged the bird gently, careful not to squeeze it too hard. “Naruto-kun,” she cried quietly.

She let herself cry for a minute then stood, whipping away the tears from her face. She let Yusha hop away and stood, organizing her stuff and putting things away. She looked back at the cloak she had taken out of the closet when she was done. She lifted it and pressed it to her body, sizing it. She shrugged and put it on, not caring how much bigger it was. That’s not what she should’ve been caring out anyway.

She blushed as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was tighter than she suspected. She sighed. She took it off and took off her shirt, but left her pants on. Luckily she was wearing a bra, so she put the cloak back on, happy at how loose it felt after that. She put the shirt in her closet.

She looked over and noticed there was nail polish on the desk. She sighed; she hated painting her nails, but if that’s what they did in the Akatsuki. She couldn’t help but laugh. “I can’t believe these guys where nail polish!” she laughed.

Kurisutaru painted her nails the light shade of purple provided. She blushed when she was done, realizing how girly she looked with it on. She took a painted nail, careful in case it wasn’t dry, and put the key that unlocked the drawer to her sketchpad and slid it into her pocket.

Then she looked back to see Yusha in his cage, nuzzling his bandaged wing. She smiled sadly. “Sorry, bud,” she told him, “You have to stay here until you heal. But shriek if someone tries to hurt you again, okay?”

The bird chirped happily and she giggled. She opened the door and took a step out. She sighed. “Why are you still here?” she growled at the blonde beside her as she closed the door.

She didn’t even have to look at him to know who it was. She ignored whatever excuse he had and walked away after putting a paper in between the door of her room and the doorframe and adjusting the doorknob slightly. She walked out into what appeared to be the Akatsuki living room only to have everyone turn and stare at her. “That’s that bitch I was talking about!” she heard a familiar voice yell.

“Shut up, Hidan,” she heard a familiar monotone.

She felt her anger rise as she noticed it was Itachi. “Hey, weasel,” she waved casually, “Fishy.”

“Don’t call me that!” the blue man growled.

She smirked and leaned against the doorway. “I’ll call you what I want,” she said, sticking out her tongue.

“Careful,” she heard a new voice, “Some people here would lick your tongue if you keep it out for them like that.” The voice had changed in between sentences.

Her eyes met with the plant man’s. “Is that so,” she chuckled, blush rising on her face.

“Slut,” she heard Hidan growl under his breath.

“Man whore,” she countered, smirking, getting a quiet laugh out of Deidara, who was standing behind her.

“Looks like you have a shadow,” Itachi remarked, getting a laugh out of his partner and a few others.

She sighed. “You don’t think I know?” she said tiredly, “I’ve been trying to get rid of him ever since I came here!” She gave a quick glare to the other blonde as she murmured the last bit.

“I _brought_ you here!” Deidara growled, blushing slightly.

 “Only because I let you,” Kurisutaru pointed out sharply, “I could’ve killed you, idiot! But, Konoha and everyone in that damn village has been my enemy ever since I was little.” She lied easily through her teeth about the last part.

“I remember you,” Itachi commented in his always monotone voice, “You were that loner no one even noticed. Sasuke also mentioned something about you once. Apparently you’re very skilled in weapons and jutsu but trained by yourself when you were young, like him.”

She smirked and nodded. “Never knew I was worth talking about by anyone, let ago the egotistic Uchiha,” she laughed, “But, yeah, that about sums it up.”

They all stared at her. They all froze as a cool tone was carried throughout the air. “Oh, good,” Kurisutaru hear the leader say, “You’ve met the rest of them. Guys, this is Kurisutaru, the newest member of our organization. She will replace Orochimaru, though she won’t get a ring.”

“Then what use is the bitch?” Hidan called out.

He shut up when Leader-sama gave him a glare. “She will be a great help in capturing the Kyuubi,” the shadowed figure continued, “She is a very skilled healer so if any of you idiots get hurt she can help with that. Also, she will be a helpful asset if we need to replace a position and we actually have the ring.”

Kurisutaru smirked at the older men. “Just because she has nice assets,” she heard a mutter from the white haired man.

“You’re such a perv,” she rolled her eyes at the still shirtless man, ready to throw a kunai at his eyes if needed.

“We all know that,” she heard the red head in the room mutter.

She realized it must’ve been Deidara’s partner, Sasori; he looked like he might’ve been a puppet. She heard a murmur from behind, though she could barely hear what was being said. “It’s kinda true, though, un,” Deidara murmured quietly under his breath.

“You’re a pervert, too, un,” she mocked him but didn’t even looked in his direction.

She got a few chuckles out of some of the men, including the weasel and shark. She smirked and walked to the other side of the room. As she passed him, the one counting his money remarked, “We knew that, too.”

She guessed he was Hidan’s partner, though she didn’t know for sure. She walked calmly to the other side of the room. “Hey, Kurisutaru-san,” she heard the blue man call to her.

She stopped and turned to look at him. He was grinning a toothy grin. “Why don’t you stay a while,” he invited, waving his arm slightly, “We’re all working together now, so why not?”

She thought for a moment then shrugged and nodded. “Why not?” she repeated his words.

Deidara had taken a seat by his partner and was looking away nervously. She smirked and leaned against the doorway where she stopped, not wanting to take a seat by any of them. Kisame smirked as well and patted the floor beside him. She gazed at the spot and shrugged, walking towards it casually, trying to hide her fear. She sat and heard the fishy man laugh. “There we go,” he chuckled, leaning against the couch and putting an arm behind her.

She pretended not to notice and looked around at each of the members slowly. She sighed, bored. “So,” she started as casually as possible.

It was so awkward, and obviously the men around her felt the same. “How much money do you have?” the man looked up from his cash and stared at her, unusually interested.

“You gonna try to rob me?” she retorted half-heartedly.

He remained silent, so she decided to answer. “Right now? Umm…. Maybe 100 bucks straight up but people still owe me cash,” she answered with Naruto in mind.

He nodded thoughtfully and restarted counting his money. “Why do people owe you cash?” she heard the plant man’s voice, which she figured out to be the white side.

She leaned back casually, putting her arms behind her head. “Various reasons,” she replied.

“Like?” it was the black side’s voice.

She smirked. “Jobs,” she replied darkly, picturing the bloodiest job she would’ve done, “Loans with interest. Stuff like that, a little more.”

She received an approving nod from the money-hoarder. She smiled wickedly at this. She could figure what this nod meant and was relieved to see it. “Kurisutaru-san,” she heard a murmur and looked for the source.

Her eyes landed on Sasori, who was playing with a small puppet. “What?” she asked, looking up at the roof.

“You were just toying with us earlier, weren’t you?” he asked, not even looking at her.

She smirked. “Look who catches on!” she laughed, still looking at the roof thoughtlessly.

“Why would you do that, un?” she heard the harsh voice come from Deidara.

She shrugged. “Lazy day, maybe?” she suggested  then sighed, “I was bored and entertainment came running through the trees! How am I not supposed to play?”

He stared at her, though the emotions were to mixed for her to understand what he was feeling. “Well, Kurisutaru-san,” she heard Itachi’s voice.

“Yes, weasel?” she asked, still staring at the roof.

He ignored her comment and continued. “Are you wearing onto the cloak and pants?” he asked suddenly.

She looked at him, blushing slightly. “What the hell kinda question is that?” she asked, wide-eyed.

Luckily, Itachi was looking at her with black eyes. He seemed truly interested. “You’re all perverts,” she sighed, closing her eyes and pointing her nose at the floor.

She rested her arms on her knees and looked back at the Uchiha. “It’s almost like we’re playing Truth or Dare,” she muttered under her breath, so quiet she was sure no one heard, “but with me as the only target.”

“Good idea, un!” she heard the blonde smirk.

She glared at him. “What are you talking about, baka?” she growled, trying not to show her fear.

“How ‘bout we play Truth or Dare, un,” he suggested, staring directly into her eyes.

Her heart skipped a beat but she made no move to show it, only scowling at the other blonde. She noticed his partner shrug. “She was right,” he commented, “We are kind of playing it anyway.”

 _Damn, they heard me?_ She growled silently. She sighed. “That means I have to answer the damn Uchiha, don’t I?” she sighed, resting her hand on her hand, her elbow propped on her knee.

She saw all of the members nod and she sighed. “Yes,” she hissed through gritted teeth, eyes closed angrily, “I’m not wearing a shirt. I’m only wearing my bra and pants.”

She heard a laugh and glared at Hidan. “What the hell are you laughing at, pervy grandpa?” she yelled at him.

He stopped and glared at her. “How many times do I have to tell you, bitch? I’m not a f**king grandpa!” he growled.

“You sure about that?” she retorted.

“Bitch!”

“As long as I’m not yours,” she insisted.

There was a moment of tense silence. Kurisutaru was off the couch so she leaned back against it as she broke the hateful silence. “Truth or dare, Kisame-san?” she said, looking back up at the roof.

“What?” he looked at her, suddenly confused.

“We’re playing it, right?” she asked, “So truth or dare?”

He nodded and answered truth. She smiled widely, eyes narrowed mischievously. She chuckled evilly, “Have you ever thought sexual things about Itachi?”

He stared at her like she was insane, though she could tell he was getting nervous. Itachi was staring at him from behind and the blue man knew it. “Never,” he finally said.

She smirked, narrowing her eyes an giggling to show she knew he lied. He gulped slightly and she laughed. “Truth or dare, Kurisutaru-san,” he said quickly.

She laughed. “Truth, fishy,” she chuckled.

He glared at her, the faintest shade of red spread across his blue face. “How good are you at lying?” he asked, obviously not able to ask a good question.

“I know when people lie, which makes me pretty good, I guess,” she shrugged, suddenly bored again, “Um… Grandpa, truth or dare?”

“Not a f**king grandpa!” he yelled again, “Dare, Bitch! I ain’t no pussy.”

“Is that like you’re nickname for me?” she asked, crossly, “You know what, never mind that. I dare you to…. Make out with any guy you want in this room. I’ll let you pick. I’m not a guy!” She yelled as he walked towards her.

He sighed and walked over to Deidara. “Whoa, what?” the girlish blonde yelled as the silver haired man bent down and locked lips with him.

Kurisutaru watched, noticing Hidan only picked Deidara because he looked like a girl. Yet, she began to get a little wet and shifted uncomfortably as the dominate male began getting into it. She laughed nervously. “That’s enough, gramps!”

Hidan pulled away, revealing spit in between the two mouths. Deidara was scared so he curled up into a ball on the end of the couch while Hidan only whipped his mouth and walked back to his place. “Truth or dare, bitch,” he demanded as he sat down.

She smirked. “Truth, I don’t trust you, bastard,” she grinned.

“Pussy.”

“Yes, I have one.”

Hidan grew wide eyed at the remark. “Fine,” he answered after a moment of silence, “Would you be a slut to anyone in this room and who? If not, bitch, who would you be a slut to?”

She looked at the ceiling. “Finally, a good truth question!” she laughed, “Here….? Um…. I don’t know anyone well enough here to be their slut and I hate everyone else.” She hated lying about that; she just wanted to scream that she’d be the Kyuubi’s slut any day. “So, I’m not so sure?” she chuckled nervously.

“Then I guess you’ll have to do a dare,” Hidan smirked.

“What the hell?” she yelled at him, “I answered your question and I answered truthfully!”

“Liar,” she heard Itachi’s monotone.

“Shut up, weasel!” she growled, “I didn’t lie!”

“Yeah, you did.” Kisame.

She glared at them both. She sighed, blushing a single shade of red. She couldn’t say it was Naruto, that’d blow all her lies up to that moment. Or would it? “Fine,” she admitted, “I guess it’d have to be the Kyuubi. He was hot, sue me!”

They all looked at her and she grew hot under their gaze and looked at the floor in between her legs, getting hotter at how slutty she must’ve looked at that moment. “Naruto,” it was Itachi, “Really?”

She nodded, smirking. “Yeah, but he liked someone else so I never had a chance,” she didn’t even have to lie for that.

“You can be my slut!” she heard a voice and glared around the room.

“No way in hell,” she hissed to the unknown person. She looked around the room until her gaze landed on Deidara. “Truth or Dare?” she asked bored.

“Truth,” he said, equally bored.

She smirked. “Good,” she agreed, “You look too much like a girl—too much like me!—to do a decent dare.” She looked at the roof as she thought for a moment. “Why are you so clingy to me?” she asked, more for herself than to make a good question.

He cocked his head but straightened it quickly, blushing lightly. “Um, I was ordered too—”

“And no giving me any of that ‘I was ordered to do blah, blah’ crap!” she cut him off.

He frowned and shifted his eyes. “Okay,” he sighed, “I really just wanted to see what secrets I could get out of you in case I need a little blackmail, un.”

She sighed in relief. “Truth or dare?” she had almost forgotten she was about to be asked that.

She thought this time. She didn’t know whether he had actually had gotten any blackmail or not. She sighed and finally gave the guys what they were hoping she’d say the whole time: “Dare….”

Deidara smirked. “You probably know it, un,” he chuckled.

She sighed, undoing her cloak. “Yeah, yeah,” she murmured as she got to her bra.

“Wait, un,” he stopped her.

Her hand stopped, covering the revealed skin but ready to keep going. She looked at him, eyes a mixture of sadness and hate. “I want you to keep going,” he mused quietly, his eye unreadable, “But you have to make out with one of us, un.” He smirked at his own dare, obviously thinking it was great. He grinned even wider when he got another idea, “And it has to be for at least five minutes, un.”

She guessed he knew who she would kiss: him. She glared at him. “If you don’t,” he ventured, “I guess you’ll have to answer a truth question, un.”

She growled lightly and ripped off the cloak with one wrist flick and threw it behind her as she quickly jumped onto Deidara’s lap lightly. He had no time to reply before she quickly locked lips with him. He seemed extremely shocked at first, letting her control him. She felt her heart tear a little more as he got into it and licked her bottom lip for entrance. She didn’t grant him entrance, deciding to torture him for a little bit for what he made her do.

He frowned into the kiss and let his hands wander her body. She let him do it, smirking a little into the deep lip lock. The tongues on his hands began to lick at her bare flesh but she didn’t do anything, already suspecting he’d do that. When nothing happened after another minute, she grabbed his hands and pinned them so they couldn’t get to her.

He bit her lip a little, still trying to at least make her gasp. Stubborn Kurisutaru didn’t do anything to let him in. He finally just forced his tongue into her mouth, making her eyes shoot open and her arms relax a little, but not much. “It’s been five minutes!” Itachi called to them.

Kurisutaru quickly pulled away and ended up falling to the ground. She turned it into a back flip back to her spot. She sat cross-legged and whipped her mouth about twenty times. “Damn perverts,” she muttered crossly as she whipped her mouth, “One day, I swear….”

“So it was good?” Kisame chuckled.

She glared at him, blushing a little. “What the hell makes you think I like kissing that bastard?” she growled.

Kisame smirked, revealing his shark teeth. “Because it wasn’t five minutes, it was about ten,” the blue man chuckled, “Nice boobs, by the way.”

She narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth at him for a moment before shifting her weight so she was balancing on her shoulder and kicked him in his sharky blue face. “Damn fishy pervert!” she growled, resting her head on her hand as she continued to kick the fish in the head, causing him to bleed a little. She sighed, looking at the rest of the boys. “I’m bored, running out of dares and questions,” she said tiredly, “Anyone have good dares or questions to ask me?” No one responded so she sighed. “Didn’t think so…”

She gave Kisame one last kick to the head and jumped up grabbing her cloak, tossing it over her shoulder. She walked calmly to her room, showing no emotion but the red on her face. She heard someone run after her but ignored it. As she reached her room, she turned in the doorway to see a smirking Deidara. She glared at him, the blush leaving her face and the shadows making her expression dark. She slammed the door as hard as she could in the other blonde’s face. “Leave me alone,” she whispered, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hear.

She faced the door for a little while before turning and sitting down, back to the door. She sighed and stood up after a minute. Kurisutaru walked over to the drawer with her drawing stuff in it. She reached into her pocket for her key. Her hand didn’t find it. Her eyes grew wide as she searched the other pocket. No key. She threw on her cloak and ran out of her room. _Damn that Deidara_ , she growled to herself, _He’ll pay for that!_

She ran into the living room and skidded to a stop. “Where the hell is he?” she yelled, only to receive questioning looks. “Deidara?

“You liked the kiss that much?” Kisame chuckled.

“Shut up, fish sticks!” she growled, “I have no time for your damn crap!”

The red head pointed down the hall where she came from. “He might’ve went to our room if he didn’t get to yours,” he said, “He had something in his hand when he followed you, though.”

She gritted her teeth. “Thanks, Sasori-san,” she thanked the puppet as she ran back down the hall.

The hall seemed longer than it was. As she ran, she noticed Deidara in the middle of the hallway. “Deidara-!” her yell was dragged out as she ran, only finished when she crashed into him as he looked at her, fear in his eye.

She knocked him to the ground, landing on her side on top of him. She pressed her knee to his stomach and a hand to his throat. She clenched hard, choking him. She raised an hand and brought it down hard onto his face, sending spit flying out from his mouth. She raised it again and again, each time hitting a little harder than the last. On the third punch he started bleeding and by the sixth he was bruised badly and bleeding all over the floor. She decided to stop assaulting him but took out a kunai, threatening to slit his throat. “Where the hell is the key?” she growled.

He struggled to hold up the tiny key. She grabbed it and stood, stepping on his bloody face and turning. She walked calmly to the living room and studied the key, making sure it wasn’t a fake. “Hey,” she greeted quickly, never looking up from the key, “I just thought I’d say someone might wanna heal that bastard, ‘cause I’m not gonna.” With her last words she turned and walked back to her room.

Deidara was still in a bloody pile in the middle of the hall. She kicked him, causing him to groan in pain a little. She smirked and opened her door, closing it slowly, eyes glinting dangerously. As it closed she locked it, hearing the frantic footsteps of the curious Akatsuki men. “Deidara!” she heard the cry of Kisame, obviously scared by the sound of his voice.

There was a little whine of pain and a laugh. “That bitch sure can hurt someone,” she heard Hidan laughed; she was happy about the compliment.

“Impressive,” Itachi’s voice showed a little emotion, making Kurisutaru smile even happier.

She chuckled and turned to the locked drawer. She slid the key into the hole and turned. It unlocked and she opened it. She took it out and sat on her bed, looking at the key again. She smirked and began ripping it apart. It was a pretty weak key and she had studied it enough to make her own out of earth. She tossed it into the now open drawer and looked at her drawings quickly. She landed on a blank page and put pencil to paper.

She drew Itachi and Kisame on one page as an outline and then Hidan and his partner on another. She drew Sasori and Deidara on the last page. In about five minutes all the outlines were done. She went back to the weasel and shark’s page to add in detail and finish it. She was just about to finish it when she heard a harsh knock on the door, sending her pencil sliding quickly across Itachi’s drawn face. She figured she should’ve been angry, but it looked nice, actually. She left the sketchpad on her bed and walked towards the door.

Kurisutaru unlocked it and opened it so she could see through it. “What?” she asked Sasori with no emotion.

“Why did you do that to my partner?” there was no anger in his voice and he seemed fine with it, almost amused.

“He stole the key to what held something precious of mine,” she explained casually, “The only way I figured I’d get him to give it up was to beat the crap out of him.”

Sasori nodded but asked, “What is it that’s so precious to you?”

“My sketchpad,” she answered calmly.

               “You draw?” the red head asked calmly, though there was a spark of interest in his eyes.

               She nodded. “In fact I was just finishing a drawing when you knocked,” she admitted, “You scared me a little and my hand slid across the paper, but it actually made it better, so thanks.”

               He nodded awkwardly. “Can I see your work?” he asked.

               She nodded and opened the door to let him in. She left the door open but shut it so no one outside could see. She sat on her bed and showed the drawing of Yusha first before handing him the pad. “I usually draw with a reference, but I can do without, especially if I’m really interested in the subject I’m drawing,” she explained as he flipped through the recent pages, “I draw most people I see at least once.”

               He nodded and looked at the drawing of Itachi and Kisame. “You really hate Itachi-san?” she asked.

               She smiled and nodded, “Yeah, and that’s also the drawing I was working on.”

               He continued to flip through the pages up to his and his partner’s drawing. “Interesting,” he said, “You seem to already know us.”

               She looked over his shoulder at her work. She had drawn Sasori with chakra strings coming from his fingers and Deidara standing on a large bird. She hadn’t realized she had done so. “Interesting,” she commented, “I didn’t mean to do that; I just quickly drew you guys.”

               He nodded calmly, his expression unreadable. He handed it back to her. “You have an interesting eye for detail,” he commented.

               She smiled. “Thanks,” she said, “I hear you work with puppets? Is that right?”

               He looked at her and almost smiled. “Yeah,” he answered, “Art should be something that lasts forever.”

               She gazed at him thoughtfully. She remembered Deidara had mentioned that was his view on art. He stood and walked out. “Sorry for disturbing you,” he said over his shoulder, “I’ll let you go back to drawing.”

               She nodded. “It’s no problem,” she answered as he opened the door and walked away.

               He nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him. She watched the door for a moment, smiling. “He’s cool,” she said, laying back and continuing her Hidan and Kakuzu drawing.

               She finished that one easily and went on to the two artist’s page. She took a little more time on their drawing, wanting to get every detail right. She finished after twenty minutes and leaned back to admire it. She smiled and flipped the cover back over it. She took it and placed it in the drawer, closing it.

               She blinked and decided to try out the key idea. She closed her eyes and pictured the key, forming it out of earth in her hand. She stuck it into the hole and turned, unlocking it. She smirked and quickly opened and closed it. She crushed the earth key in her hand, taking it back into her skin.

She sighed and laid back on her bed. She drifted into a calm sleep, Yusha already sleeping in his cage. She drifted into a deep dream. She saw Lady Tsunade. “What do you mean?” she heard a familiar voice.

Her mind floated so Naruto was in view. “What the hell do you mean Kurisutaru-chan left us for the damn Akatsuki?” he yelled, slamming is hands on the Hokage’s desk.

“Exactly what I said,” Lady Tsunade sighed, “She left us to join the Akatsuki. She’s our enemy now, Naruto. You have to understand that!”

“No way,” Naruto murmured, backing away, “There’s no way Kurisutaru-chan would betray us. There’s no way….” He ran out of the building.

Her dream followed him. “Kurisutaru-chan wouldn’t betray us like that,” he kept repeating, “She wouldn’t betray _me_ like that!”

He punched a tree, sending all the leaves flying to the ground. His eyes changed color. “Those damn Akatsuki!” he growled, his now red-orange eyes narrowed angrily, “They captured her. They’re going to kill her!”

“Naruto-kun,” it was a female’s voice.

He turned and so did the dream’s vision. It was Sakura. “Naruto-kun,” she murmured, smiling sweetly, “Forget about her. It’s obvious she’s our enemy now! Just forget about her; I’m the one who loves you.” The pink haired girl clung to his arm, looking at him innocently.

“Damn you Sakura!” Kurisutaru yelled in her mind.

Naruto just stared at her. The stupid seductress giggled and hugged his arm stupidly. “There’s no way,” the blonde murmured quietly.

“But it’s true!” Sakura cooed, kissing his cheek, “She’s turned against you!”

“Kurisutaru-chan,” he whispered, “It can’t be.”

“It isn’t!” Kurisutaru screamed silently, “I’m only trying to help you!”

“But it is!” Sakura insisted.

Naruto looked at Sakura and kissed her. “N-Naruto-kun!” Kurisutaru whined, a tear sliding down her face.

They pulled away and Sakura hugged him, burying her face in his chest. Kurisutaru felt her heart tear into even tinier pieces then it was in. Several more tears slid down her cheeks. “We’ll just have to kill her like the rest of the Akatsuki,” Naruto was murmuring.

Kurisutaru’s hands shot up to her face as she sobbed. She felt a hand tap her shoulder and turned around to see Deidara. He looked worried, welcoming. She hugged him, burying her face into his chest. She sobbed quietly, slightly comforted by his arms wrapped around her. “Deidara-kun,” she sobbed into his chest.

“Shhh,” he comforted, stroking her hair and back lightly, “It’s okay. I’m here, un.” He pulled away and gently held her face, inching closer. “I’m here,” he whispered again just before their lips touched.

“Kurisutaru-san, un!” she heard the same voice yell just as their lips were about to touch.

She yelled as her eyes shot open. The blonde girl rolled off the bed and onto the floor. “Ow!” she murmured, rubbing her head as she lay on the floor.

She looked up to see Deidara in her doorway. “What, Blondie?” she murmured sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

He rolled his eye at her comment. “Leader-sama’s sending you on your first mission, un,” he explained, “Get ready; we’re leaving soon, un.”

She sat up and stared at him. “We?” she asked.

He looked at her. “Yeah, you’re going on the mission with Sasori no Dana and me, un,” he looked at her confusedly, “Did I forget to mention that, un?”

She nodded. He smiled and left her to her room. She sighed and stood up. She realized her cloak was unbuttoned all the way and her bra was revealing a little more than they should’ve been. She blushed and fixed the black cloth before buttoning up her cloak again. She tied up her messy hair, not bothering to do anything else with it. She looked at her nails and admired how they were still the same as they were the previous day. Then she lifted her headband from her neck and placed it firmly around her head tightening the knot so it wouldn’t try to fall again. She looked herself over, grabbing her kunai and securing it on her pants before grabbing her sword and sliding it between her cloak and back so that it was hidden but secure as well. She gave herself one last look over and nodded, deciding she was good and ready for her first mission.

Kurisutaru walked out calmly to the entrance, ignoring comments from the other men. Her eyes were sharp and dangerous, face set in a dark expression. She walked calmly past the older men, aware of their rude comments. She stopped and her eyes narrowed as she found herself within a genjutsu. Her eyes shifted so that Itachi came into sight. “Release,” she whispered under her breath, not even bothering to make a hand sign.

The dark red and black of the genjutsu disappeared and she found herself back in her world. She shifted her right hand slightly, grabbing a kunai between her fingers. She narrowed her eyes so they were no more than slits and quickly threw the kunai. She knew he’d see it coming and grabbed another, flashing quickly behind him and putting the sharp blade to his neck. “Don’t you ever try that crap with me again,” she hissed icily in his ear, “Got that you stupid weasel?”

He gave the slightest of nods, not showing any emotion. She released him and walked back towards the front entrance of the hideout. Everyone was silent. She smirked a little as she walked away, thou her eyes were as sharp as ever.

Deidara and Sasori were waiting for her at the entrance. “Sorry,” she greeted, “Someone tried to test me back there.”

“We saw,” Sasori said in his monotone voice, “Itachi and his sharingan.”

She nodded and sighed. “Damn weasel,” she cussed under her breath then looked at the two, “So, what’re we gonna do?” She was careful not to look at Deidara fully, afraid she might not be able to look away because of the dream she had that night.

“We’re gonna catch the Sanbi, un,” the blonde said casually.

“Gaara,” she murmured quietly, almost dreamily.

“You know him?” Sasori asked and she nodded.

“Kazekage, now,” she murmured half-mindedly, “He’s gonna be a tough one to beat if he’s gotten even stronger than he was.”

Sasori shrugged. She noticed he was in his favorite puppet for this mission. She sighed and Deidara tossed her a hat. She grabbed it before it hit her face with one hand, still not looking at him. She sat it on her head so that it covered her left eye more than her right. “Let’s go,” she said calmly, but as she started to walk Deidara stopped her with one hand.

“You’re going to be observing for this mission, un,” he explained, “So you’re gonna hang back for now, un.”

Her head was tilted down slightly and her eyes gazing sharply at the inside of her hat. She gave him the tiniest movement of her head, still not even glancing over at him.

He seemed to smirk and walked ahead with Sasori. She waited for them to get a few paces ahead before walking slowly behind them. They were all silent as they made their way slowly through the forest. Time seemed to drag on as the wind blew slowly, picking up fallen leaves and throwing up her hair as well as Deidara’s. She closed her eyes, trying not to think about her dream.

She thought she saw the familiar yellow spikes and whipped her head around to see nothing. She couldn’t help but give out the tiniest of sighs and looked back forward. The two men hadn’t noticed her and she gave a quick smirk, happy that they didn’t notice.

It was still quiet, making Kurisutaru uncomfortable. She began humming a favorite song of hers in her mind. She began nodding her head in beat to the song. The hum worked its way to her lips but she didn’t let it escape, careful not to let the men hear her.

“I’m a lost cause, not a hero,” she whispered so quietly she was sure no one but her could here, “But I make it on my own.”

“What was that, un?” Deidara asked, looking over his shoulder.

She stopped bobbing her head and closed her mouth before he could see what she was doing. “You must be hearing things,” she shook her head, still not looking at him.

He grunted disbelievingly but turned so he was looking ahead of him. In a few hours, they finally made it to the desert. The two ahead of her paused and turned to her. She stopped and looked at them, careful not to make any eye contact with Deidara. “We’re going to go on from here,” Sasori was explaining, “You’re going to stay back here and wait for us to get back.”

“Then how will I learn from what you do if I can’t see for my own eyes?” she asked.

“Do you have an idea?” the puppet asked back casually.

She thought for a moment and sighed. “I can always send a shadow clone disguised as some type of animal,” she suggested, “That way I won’t personally be there.”

Sasori thought for a moment then nodded. “That might work,” he decided.

She nodded and make a shadow clone. The two copies nodded to each other and the clone transformed into a hawk and nodded once before flying off ahead of them. The remaining three nodded and the two men walked off calmly into the desert.

Kurisutaru couldn’t help but let out a long sigh when they were out of sight. At least they left her by the trees and not out in the hot desert. She waited around for a minute, wishing she would have gone instead of her clone. Then she decided she might as well take out her sketchpad and draw. She leaned against a large tree and closed her eyes. She spent her time drawing whatever came to mind, not even knowing what was being laid down on the pieces of paper.

Meanwhile, the clone Kurisutaru was flying calmly over the two artist’s heads. They were quiet except for occasional murmuring she couldn’t catch. She sighed as the desert winds sent sands hurtling into her eyes. She blinked crossly and gave a small hiss. This was going to be a long mission.

 

Deidara had captured Gaara and they flew to where she was. She looked up from her drawings at them and quickly closed the book. She jumped up, suddenly remembering everything that happened to them on their mission. She nodded, signaling she knew what happened. They continued on to the hideout, making quick time in the darkness of the forest.

They reached the hideout they were supposed to go to. She was shocked at how different it was: just a cave. She nodded thoughtfully and smirked. “Very nice,” she murmured to herself as Deidara dragged in Gaara’s unconscious body.

“Little help, here, un?” he growled at her.

She sighed and picked up the Kazekage’s head, Deidara picking up his feet. She still didn’t make eye contact with him and he seemed to notice she was avoiding looking at him. She was staring at Gaara’s black-lined eyes. Her expression was blank, showing no sadness or even happiness. Just, blank. “What’s the matter with you, un?” the older blonde asked.

She shook her head, closing her eyes and lifting her head as if she was going to look at him. She sighed, opening her eyes so she was looking off to her right. “Nothing,” she murmured, “Let’s just get this over with.”

He narrowed his eyes in suspicious but just shrugged and carried the Sanbi over to the middle of the cave. She dropped the red head onto the floor rather carelessly, receiving shocked looks from the two Akatsuki members beside her. She shrugged, bored. She put her arms behind her head and began walking around the cave.

She heard a small static noise and turned around, noticing Leader-sama had appeared as a hologram type figure. She gazed at the image, impressed. “Deidara, Sasori,” it was an electric version of the man’s voice, “Get into position. Kurisutaru, you may come back to the hideout until further notice.”

She nodded but asked, “Can I quickly go to the Leaf to get some extra stuff; like clothes?”

He narrowed his eyes at her but nodded after a second. She smiled and ran out of the cave, only looking back as she heard a rumble when the leader had summoned the tailed-beast extractor sort of thing. She shrugged, not really caring, and ran out. She paused, thinking for a brief moment.

Quickly, she took off her cloak and stuffed it into her bag, putting her shirt on instead. She stood for a moment, getting used to the quick change, and then ran towards the Leaf. She ran quickly, hoping to get back to the hideout before that night. She made it to the village in good time.

Kurisutaru bit her lip, not knowing how she was going to get in. “Hey, Kurisutaru!” she heard a faintly familiar voice yell out to her.

She turned around, her vision suddenly blurred, not giving her anything to work with. She blinked once or twice to find Kiba grinning like an idiot at her. She smiled nervously, slightly scared. _Tsunade must’ve not told them I’m gone_ , she thought.

“H-hi, Kiba,” she stuttered.

He grinned. “I’m guessing you got my little note,” he chuckled nervously.

She nodded, blushing a little. She began walking through the gate with him at her side. She couldn’t help but smirk on the inside. She’d have to talk with Lady Tsunade before she left again.

He was talking nervously to her rapidly. She only smiled and giggled a little. He began slowing down as they came up to her house. She allowed him into her home and she went to her room. She quickly packed a couple of shirts, pants, and underwear into a bag along with extra weapons and other mission supplies.

Kurisutaru turned to the dog boy and smiled. He smiled back, almost obviously nervous. “Kiba-kun,” she chuckled sadly.

He smiled and stepped a little closer. She stepped closer and put her nose to his, smiling sadly yet as lovingly as could. She pecked his lips and pulled back, feeling the tears build up in her eyes. She blinked, trying to keep them in. “Gomen,” she whispered to him and ran out of her house, leaving no evidence anyone had ever lived there.

She ran as quickly as she could to the Hokage’s building. She jumped up so that she was hanging out by the window. She knocked on it, startling the Hokage. She waved to her and Tsunade let her in. Kurisutaru jumped in. “You haven’t told them yet?” she asked bluntly.

“Well, hello to you to!” Tsunade said sarcastically then sighed, “No, I haven’t. I figure you’ll reveal yourself to be a traitor soon enough.”

The young blonde winced. “I’m not a traitor!” she hissed back, “I’m doing this for the village.”

“Are you?” the Hokage retorted, “Or is it just for Naruto?”

Kurisutaru was silent for a moment; she didn’t know the answer. She sighed. “Whatever,” she dropped the matter, “I’m still loyal to the Leaf, you know that! You know how much I’ve been tested in these past few days?”

Tsunade studied her carefully. “Okay,” she agreed, “But I wish for you to send a summon or a clone here at least once a month to be sure. If you can’t regularly then you must send one to me as soon as possible. You’ll be seen as a traitor by the rest of the village, just to maintain your cover.”

The young girl nodded understandingly. “I’ll have to leave now,” she dismissed herself, “They’ll start suspecting something’s up if I take too long.”

The Hokage nodded. Before the younger blonde could flash out, Tsunade quickly said, “Naruto and the others are in pursuit of the Akatsuki at the moment because of Gaara.”

Kurisutaru winced. “Crap,” she hissed to herself, “Thanks for the info, Hokage-sama.”

With her last words, she flashed to the front entrance and ran as fast as she could to the first base. She ran inside to her room and threw her stuff on her bed then jumped over the couch and began drawing like she’d been drawing the whole time. She shook her head at herself, not knowing why she’d be so urgently trying to prove something to no one.

She stood and stretched, going to the kitchen to get some food. She took a piece of bread and walked back to her spot on the couch. She began drawing mindlessly, eventually falling asleep.

The next day she looked at her drawings after getting some toast for breakfast. She choked on the buttered piece of bread when she noticed a lot of her recent drawings were of her and Deidara. She couldn’t help but blush as she kept flipping the pages and all there were was Deidara.

Her heart skipped a precious beat and she couldn’t find her breath. “D-Deidara?” she stuttered when she did.

Her eyes gazed at the last drawing fearfully. She closed her eyes, her fear getting the best of her. “No!” she yelled, throwing the pad of paper far to the ground.

She trembled for a few seconds before looking back at the thrown object. She stopped trembling as she saw that the sketchbook landed with a picture of Naruto showing. She felt a tear make its way down her cheek and began to sob. “Why?” she hissed to herself, “Why did I ever do this? I’ll end up being thrown out and killed by these damn men anyway! Why am I so stupid?”

She cried for a bit until finally calming down. She looked back over at the pad and jumped over the couch to grab it. Her fingers gently touched it and the pages flip messily. She sighed and shook it, regretting it immediately as the pages landed on a drawing of the older blonde Akatsuki member.

She sighed and ripped it out hatefully. Why was that one dream seeming to control her thoughts? She looked at how many other drawings she drew of him and ripped out a few, tearing them to shreds. The blonde then proceeded to pick up the shredded remains and walked to her room.

Kurisutaru opened the locked drawer with an earth key and dumped the remains into it, putting her sketchpad in along with it and closing it roughly. She jumped onto her bed and laid down. She took a quick nap.

It was night again when she awoke. She quickly organized her stuff better and took off her shirt again, putting her cloak back over her. A single tear slid down her face, but she knew what she had to do.

She made sure she had all the weapons she might need and walked calmly outside the base. The midnight moon shone brighter than ever. She put her nose in the air and the wind picked up. Her eyes were dark, yet they shone with such brilliance it was almost impossible. They narrowed as she took in a deep breath. As the wind faded she began to run swiftly through the forest.

Her steps were silent and soft, her breath apart of the wind. She was the picture of a ninja as she ran silently through the darkened woods. As she came to a clearing, she jumped, grabbing the handle of her sword.

The blade whispered softly as she pulled it from its sheath. Slashing a few trees as she landed, she ran with blade in hand. It was heavy yet the perfect weight for her to wield as if it were nothing more than a delicate feather. She easily made large, yet thin, dents in the trees with her sharp weapon.

She ran towards the cave base, knowing that’s where Naruto and the others would’ve been headed. She’d play spy, keeping to the shadows as the scenes unfolded before her. Not to fight, not to reveal herself as Akatsuki. Just a shadow in the woods.

She quickly twirled her weapon so she could place it in its case. It slid in without objection, not making a noise except a soft hiss of metal. She came to a clearing and stopped. It had obviously been used as a campsite; by Naruto, she guessed. By the way the grass was flattened, it had been a few days ago, maybe even one. She was on the right track.

Kurisutaru nodded to herself, pulling the collar of her cloak up so it covered the bottom half of her face better. Between her headband and cloak, only her eyes were shown in the moonlight. She ran quickly, following the trail by hopping across the trees.

She came to another camp site quite soon. She stopped, seeing this one was occupied. She stayed up in the trees, happy for the leafy cover. She watched them for a moment intently, her heart beating as Naruto looked over in her direction. “What is it, Naruto?” a familiar man asked the blonde ninja.

He stared for one last moment but looked to the strange man. “Nothing, Kakashi Sensei,” he murmured, “Nothing.”

She sighed with the wind as they all sat down, paying no attention to her. Her eyes glistened in the night as she watched them. “Sai, cut it out!” Naruto growled to the other member, a strangely pale boy with a shirt showing his stomach.

Kurisutaru immediately disliked him and figured he must’ve been the Sasuke-wanna-be she had heard so much about from Naruto. She let her eyes focus on him and cocked her head. There was something that struck her a odd, and she’d seen a fish and weasel walk and talk to her! She couldn’t help but bare her teeth at the pale white boy. He was _lying_! About something, she knew, but what she didn’t.

She shook her head slightly and looked at the four of them at once. They were getting ready to sleep it looked like. She sighed as a breeze blew by, relaxing against the tree, figuring she could get some sleep, too, but afraid that they’d find her if she let her guard down. She sighed in her mind but didn’t make a noise as the four settled down for sleep. She watched them for a minute then closed her eyes as soon as she was sure they were asleep.

It must’ve been for more than a minute because the next thing she knew she was awoken by the sound of the group packing up and Naruto yelling. Her eyes shot open, the left eye still covered by her hair. She risked a glance down at the four man cell, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as they turned, not even noticing her existence.

They began to travel and when they were a good ways ahead she began to follow. Her steps were silent and secret as she traveled at a good pace behind them. She only focused on tracking them, careful not to reveal herself. Yet, part of her wanted to melt away and never see the spiky blonde ever again while the other part wanted to run up to him and hug him, whispering to him how sorry she was for turning her back to him in the first place. Somehow, this helped her keep her distance.

They stopped and looked around for a second, obviously suspecting an enemy. “Naruto-kun!” she heard Sakura whine, “Why do you keep doing that?”

“Keep doing that?” Kurisutaru whispered almost silently to herself, “What does she mean?”

Then she saw it. She was closer than expected to the team, though she had kept her pace. They must’ve stopped and she must’ve not noticed and kept going, lost in thought. She cursed to herself silently, hating that she’d been so distracted she might’ve been caught.

Naruto looked at Sakura frowning. “Sorry, Sakura-chan,” he murmured so quietly, the blonde girl almost had to strain her ears to hear, “I just have this weird feeling….”

“Well, lose it already so we can get back to saving Gaara!” Sakura hissed at the poor boy.

He nodded and went on ahead, leaving the pink haired girl muttering crossly to herself as the other two men followed. Kurisutaru bared her teeth at the girl, wanting to jump out and slash her open with her katana, but smart enough to restrain herself. As the useless one followed, the blonde girl followed at a better distance.

Kurisutaru knew Naruto well enough and Naruto knew her well enough that she couldn’t help but wonder. _Did he sense my presence or that something was wrong with me?_ She thought, narrowing her eyes at her suspicions, _I know that he doesn’t know yet, but can he feel it in his gut? Or does it just have to do with the One-Tailed Jinchuuriki?_

She sighed, not wanting to know the answer. She shook the thought away and continued to follow them. She stopped when she could see that she was running out of trees. She watched from the branch she perched on and watched as they looked at the cave hideout. She couldn’t help but smirk at the knowledge that it wasn’t their only place.

They studied the cave and she studied them one last time. Her eyes glinted in the shadows and she suddenly felt like a cat. She sighed and leaned against the trunk, waiting patiently for them to open the entrance. Yes, they overdid the precautions, but it was easier to get into than most thought!

She grew bored and almost annoyed with the group as they tried to get in. She tried to sense inside the cave, trying to see what was going on inside. Kurisutaru sighed when she couldn’t tell what was happening. Oh, how she hoped that they were done with extracting the Sanbi!

After a long while, the team got in. She watched intently as they walked into the cave and jumped down, trying to get a better view. She landed on her feet, like a cat would. The blonde girl shook her head at how cat-like she was at the moment.

She looked at the cave, but it was too dark to see anything. How could she get closer without even the Akatsuki men noticing? She sighed and ran up to the river’s side. She quickly transformed into a cat, hating her animal choice, and jumped down so she was beside the cave, but not in it. She put her cat ear up to it and listened carefully.

She could hear their words in no more than a whisper. Then she heard the harsh yell of Naruto and sighed. “Baka,” she murmured, keeping her blue ear against the stone wall.

She could hear the familiar murmurings of the two Akatsuki she had to go on the mission with. There was a whooshing noise and she jumped back onto the cliff, knowing something was about to come to her. She changed from a cat to a bird, that way she’d be more able to keep with the action. Kurisutaru watched intently.

Suddenly a large white bird-like creature flew rapidly from the cave, carrying something in its mouth. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed after it and she realized it was Deidara. Then another movement caught her beady eyes. She looked to see it was Naruto and Kakashi. She could already tell they were after the blonde.

Kurisutaru sighed and flew through the trees along the cliff, keeping in-between the two blondes. Her heart hurt to see Naruto so angry at her new teammate, who she was suddenly unsure about. The girly man seemed to be toying with the Kyuubi, making Kurisutaru narrow her already beady eyes in anger. She restrained herself from lunging at the blonde Akatsuki member in hate and fury. She just kept to the trees.

Naruto seemed to control his power and was following restlessly with Kakashi at his side. She couldn’t help but feel bad that she was a part of this _thing_ to help capture him. She didn’t even remember why. Was it for Naruto?

She shook the thoughts away, focusing on the fight at hand. These were just two strangers, intertwined in battle. She studied each person’s body language, taking in what emotion or thought they might have. Naruto seemed angry and impatient to begin the actual fight. Kakashi seemed like he was getting a technique ready, which may be why the blonde teen was trying to hold back the urge to punch the Akatsuki member in the jaw as hard as he could. Deidara seemed to notice the change in attitude but was smirking as if he was planning something himself.

Kurisutaru shook her head again and watched them carefully, taking in every small movement they made. She frowned as the fight scene began.

She watched intently, wincing when Kakashi’s Sharingan ripped off Deidara’s arm. Her stomach lurched at the thought of her new teammate nearly dying but she took in a deep breath and calmed her nerves. She fought the urge to jump in and help the older blonde, knowing it wasn’t her time to reveal herself as Akatsuki. Still, she wanted to help him.

The fight drug on until he finally faked his death using a clay clone. Kurisutaru sighed, hating how stupid the others were for thinking he was really dead. “Well,” she murmured to herself, “Better find the idiot.”

With her last words she began walking towards where she figured he had gone. It took a while and it became night soon. She sighed and jumped into a tree, transforming back into a human. She slept comfortably in the tree, not even noticing the hard branches poking at her back.

She dreamt that the Akatsuki were being trained to fight and she was the only girl. Of course she knew it wasn’t true; the Akatsuki had another woman, but the dream showed only her. She was disguised as a boy, struggling to keep up. Leader-sama looked at her with distain and hate. As the others ran ahead, Deidara looked back, sympathy glittering in his eyes.

Her teeth gritted as she found her power. Back at the camp site, she ran quickly up the tree and sat on the very top, looking down at the camp. She waited there until dawn came, her eyes narrowed angrily. As the golden sun peeked over the horizon, the scene changed color. Everything went black and gold. Her eyes glinted gold as the others made their way out of their tents. They stopped yawning and looked up at her, mouths open.

Kurisutaru jumped down, landing on her feet skillfully. She glared at the men, grabbing a bamboo stick and preparing for a fight. The men watched her, confusion written all over each and every face. She threw the stick into the air and caught it. In the same motion, she slid it through the handles of two water buckets on either side of her. She lifted the weight and put it over her shoulders, turning on her heal and running through the forest the way they’ve been training. She left the men gapping dumbly at her.

Her dream flashed so the men had caught up with her and were trying to keep up. She glared back at them and picked up the pace. The dream flashed through a few training sessions where she did better than them all, even the leader. Slowly, she noticed, they began to drop, too tired to go on. They all dropped until she, the plant man, and the fish man were left.

She woke with a start. It was already well into the morning. Kurisutaru stood in the tree and stretched before jumping down easily. She began her search for Deidara. The sun just past its peek and she was still searching for him when she heard a familiar yell.

Kurisutaru walked out from the trees to find her look-alike choking some random kid with his legs, seeing as he was armless. She watched for a moment, a sweat drop dripping down her head. She sighed and walked out, deciding it was the best time. “Hey, Zetsu-san,” she greeted the plant man.

He nodded and the white half of his face greeted her with equal respect. She felt Deidara’s eye on her put didn’t even dare to look at him. “What happened?” she sighed, closing her eyes and pointing her head at the ground.

“This idiot…!” Deidara began, but Kurisutaru cut him off.

“I don’t need your biased perspective, Baka!” she glared at him as she growled the words.

He stared at her with a surprised expression, though his eyes still showed his anger at the masked man. She tore her eyes apart from him and looked at the plant once more. “Tobi pushed the line,” the black half said, followed by the white half, “Tobi’s a good boy though!”

Kurisutaru couldn’t help but smile a little. She looked at the masked man, who was still being choke in between Deidara’s legs and shivered, her smile disappearing. She quickly regained her composure and walked over to the two on the ground. She kicked Deidara’s leg, making him wince and pull back away from Tobi. “So, you’re a good boy, eh?” Kurisutaru asked casually, helping the orange masked boy up.

He nodded happily. “Tobi’s a good boy!” he chuckled.

There was something about his childish voice that seemed fake, evil. She suppressed another shiver and forced a smile easily onto her face. “I’m guessing Tobi wants to join the Akatsuki,” she suggested and he nodded so fast it seemed like he didn’t have one.

She laughed. “But, Kurisutaru-chan, un,” she heard Deidara protest, sending shivers down her spine as he called her name, “You’re next to get a ring by default! You shouldn’t let him take this.” By this point he had managed to get to his knees and was kneeling weakly as he spoke, his eye almost sad.

She glared at him, not even bothering to turn her head to look at him. “Don’t you ever call me with such formality ever again, idiot,” she growled, her voice low but hearable.

He winced and looked at her with a quick hurt expression before turning into a look of pure hate at Tobi’s next comment. “Oi!” the masked boy teased, “Deidara-san was rejected! Oh! That’s so bad!”

Kurisutaru raised an eyebrow at the masked ninja, not saying a word as Deidara went off on him. She turned on her heel and started off. “I’m going back to the base that isn’t destroyed,” she excused herself, holding a hand out in a wave, “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t dead either.”

She was surprised at her words and obviously the others were, too. “How’d you know he was dead,” the black side of Zetsu asked.

“I… I’m not so sure,” she murmured over her shoulder as she stopped. She let there be a moment of silence where the wind blew before she continued towards the base.

She picked up the pace until she ended up running. Kurisutaru couldn’t help but wonder how she _did_ know Sasori was dead. Usually she didn’t even know. Maybe it was just a guess?

As she reached the base she began to slow down to a walk. She sighed and placed a hand on the door knob. She twisted lightly and walked in as she opened the door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized there was someone in the house. “I’ve been waiting, Kurisutaru,” she heard the sharp voice and immediately knew it was the leader.

She looked around a little before finally resting her eyes on the shadowed hologram of him. She sighed, placing her hands on her hips. “Yeah,” she murmured, looking straight into his purple eyes, “I figured as much.”

Kurisutaru walked so she came to the couch and sat calmly, looking at him comfortable in her seat. He seemed slightly shocked at this but didn’t show it so she would’ve know if she had two _normal_ eyes. She smiled innocently and chuckled. “So,” she said darkly, “What did you want with me, Leader-sama?”

He seemed unnerved by her sudden darkness and the way her eyes glinted at him dangerously. “After you went to the Leaf Village,” he stated simply, “A team was sent to our cave hideout for the Sanbi Jinchuuriki we have captured.”

“Deidara and Sasori captured,” she corrected, not caring what punishment she’d get for speaking out of turn.

He just ignored her statement and continued on. “Coincidentally, am I right?” he suggested, “Or did you tell them?”

She smiled, knowing that this was going to happen. “If anything, I’m a spy for the Akatsuki against the Leaf,” she chuckled, “They still don’t even know of my newfound loyalty to you. Hell, they don’t even know I’m gone!”

“It still doesn’t hide the fact that they conveniently came after you asked to go to Konoha.”

“If anything that itself proves it. I _asked_ to go.”

“But if you didn’t…”

“It’d add more suspicion.”

There was a tense silence. The leader’s brows were furrowed disbelievingly while a smile was plastered on Kurisutaru’s face. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long while. “Hey, un!” the scream growled from the door, “Why’d you leave all of a sudden, un? What the hell’s wrong with you, un!”

Still not breaking the lock on their gazes, she yelled back, “Shut up, _un!_ I did what I wanted to do and left, baka! You’re not my owner!”

“But now I am,” Leader-sama pointed out.

She nodded, closing her eyes because they were getting dry. “I’ll admit to that,” she laughed, “I am an Akatsuki dog and you are my owner. I guess Hidan’s right; I am a bitch!”

Deidara was behind her by then and was quickly looking from Kurisutaru to the leader and back a couple of times. He didn’t say a word but Kurisutaru didn’t need him to. She knew he was confused as hell, but ignored it. “So, Leader- _sama_ ,” she chuckled evilly, “Still believe I betrayed you after the first day?”

He narrowed his gaze but replied with the same calm voice. “From now until I say otherwise you’ll be watched by at least one Akatsuki member at all times,” he avoided her question, “That way if you are, then we’ll know. Starting with…” he paused briefly, considering his new options, “Deidara.”

“Oh _hell_ no!” she jumped to her feet, “I’ll even take that blasted Uchiha over this girly man!”

“Why are you so mean to me, un?” Deidara asked, sliding his arm around her.

She took his arm and swiftly flipped him over her shoulder. “Because, _un_ ,” she mocked once more, “You’re an annoying pervert that needs to learn not to touch what’s not his!” Even as she said it, she made no eye contact with him at all, looking only at the leader.

“Deidara will be your first watcher until the next one has been assigned,” the leader’s voice gained some sharpness, “And that is final!”

Kurisutaru sighed but didn’t object any further. She only asked, “How much privacy do I get?”

“Five to twenty minutes in the bathroom,” he decided quickly, “You’ll have to share a room from now on with your watcher.”

She sighed, putting her hand to her head to suppress a starting headache. “You’re sleeping on the floor, baka,” she called back at the older blonde, more than slightly annoyed.

She heard a grunt as he stood and quick footsteps as he ran up behind her. “No need to call names,” he whined, rubbing his shoulder.

“Maybe there is,” she whispered under her breath.

They walked in silence the rest of the way to her room. She opened the door and walked in, leaving it open for her look-alike to follow. She secretly opened the drawer to her sketchbook and quickly closed it once she had pulled the pad out. She jumped onto her bed and began drawing what she thought the leader truly looked like.

Her strokes of pencil were swift and clean, almost as if she were wielding a sword and killing her victims. She closed her eyes, letting her hand move freely. The blonde felt that it was the best way to draw. When she opened her eyes, the paper held a wonderfully scary drawing of a tall man with spiky hair and many piercings on his face. She cocked her head at the drawing when she noticed there was enough space for another person to be drawn. She shrugged and quickly flipped the page before Deidara had a chance to see it, suddenly remembering he was there.

Kurisutaru quickly sketched out drawings of each Akatsuki member’s head. Zetsu’s and Tobi’s heads were beside each other like they were partners. She drew Tobi only because she had a feeling he was going to join whether anyone wanted to or not.

She drew each partnership together, writing their names sloppily underneath their faces. She always had bad penmanship, but she didn’t mind. She looked over the faces and sighed, slashing out Sasori’s emotionless face and name, knowing that he was truly dead.

“Why’d you do that, un?” Deidara asked, startling her slightly.

She didn’t jump but sighed again. “I figure it’s the best way to keep track of who’s truly dead and who’s not,” she admitted.

“Why didn’t you draw yourself?” he asked dumbly.

She gave him an annoyed stare, making one of the only forms of eye contact that day. “Really?” she asked with a monotone to her voice. When he nodded slightly she sighed once, yet, again and explained as simple as she could so he’d understand. “I’m going to say this slow,” she stated, looking back at her paper, “The whole point of this is to keep track of who’s dead for _myself_.”

He nodded and she continued. “If _I’m_ dead, what’s the point of it?”

He gave her a blank stare and she broke it down even further. “If I draw myself, then how am I going to cross myself out? With my blood as I’m dying? It’s a waste of pencil, if you ask me.”

He still didn’t seem like he understood but shrugged it off. “I think it wouldn’t,” he failed a attempt at a pick up line, “I mean, you’re so pretty it wouldn’t be a waste.”

She laughed. “That’s so lame!” she chuckled, “Don’t try that with me, idiot. You don’t have a chance.”

He frowned and leaned closer to her face. “You said before that I ‘need to know not to touch what’s’ mine,” he murmured, his breath hitting her face, “If you’re not mine, then who do you belong to?”

Her face grew hot and it was shown with the lightest tint of red possible. She couldn’t glare at him or look away from his eyes like she was afraid of. “I’m no one’s,” she murmured crossly, trying to make him believe in her tone, “Of course right now I belong to the Akatsuki and therefore Leader-sama. But, that only means as a loyal dog and nothing else.”

He smirked and she knew it. “You sound like you’re trying to reassure the both of us with that last part,” he chuckled, leaning in even closer so their noses were almost touching.

Kurisutaru couldn’t find her breath but somehow managed to bring her knee up to hit where the sun don’t shine, hard, making him grunt. To her dismay, this pushed him closer to her and ended up smacking their lips together.

She blushed another ten shades of red, her eyes growing wide and her body going weak. Deidara noticed this all and chuckled in the accidental kiss, not letting her pull away. She quivered, angry and scared and almost embarrassed. Kurisutaru tried not to like the kiss but slowly melted under his touch. Her eyes began to close but she kept them open so they were narrow and hoped they appeared angry. She put all little strength she had left into her arms and shoved him off at last.

He staggered backwards, laughing slightly. She sat up and whipped her lips feverously, trying to get the taste of him off her mouth even though she actually liked it. He tasted sweet, almost like candy but not quiet. She suddenly couldn’t help but wonder how she tasted.

Deidara’s growing laugh caught her attention. “Looks like you couldn’t stand the space between us and wanted another kiss, un” he laughed, eyeing her lustfully, “You chose an odd way to close the distance, un.” He rubbed his crotch at his last comment, making her blush a little more. He laughed again and risked one last statement. “Looks like you liked it and want a little more, un,” he laughed his seducing laugh.

Kurisutaru gained control of herself and glared at the older blonde. “PERVERT!” she growled, jumping up and punching him out the door.

He laughed even as he flew with a bloody jaw. He landed harshly but picked his head up to look at her. His nose began bleeding slightly and she gave him a confused look. “You’re hot when you’re pissed, you know that, un?” he chuckled, whipping his nose.

She clenched her jaw but didn’t make another move to hurt him. Instead she walked back to her bed and laid down on it, putting her sketchpad over her face and studying her art once more. This was all in attempt to forget about the perverted blonde.

It didn’t work because the next minute he was beside her in her bed, looking at her drawings. “How’d you know Sasori was a puppet and I use clay art, un?” he asked as they looked at the same drawing Sasori himself stopped and commented on.

She, without even looking at him, pushed the older man off the bed and onto the floor with a thump. He grunted as he landed but turned it into a small chuckle. “You sleep on the floor,” she reminded him, “Keep off my bed and away from me as much as possible.”

He chuckled, “That may not be possible.”

She rolled her eyes and quickly flipped past the remaining drawings of only him. She blushed that same small tint of red at how hot he really was. She put the book over her faces to muffle a small whine that escaped her mouth. Without knowing it, she fell slowly asleep.

When she opened her eyes she was on the floor, her sketchpad away from her face. Kurisutaru gasped and quickly sat up, looking around frantically. Her mismatched eyes landed on the older blonde, who was holding her sketchpad and flipping through it casually but blushing. “Give me that back!” she growled, leaping at him angrily.

He was startled, obviously confused that she was awake. This gave her the chance she needed to grab the pad from his hands. As soon as it was securely in her hands she leapt back onto the bed and looked at what page he was on. She blushed as she realized it was one of the drawings she had drawn after her dream the first night.

Kurisutaru glared over the pad at Deidara himself. “Why the hell were you looking at my art?” she hissed, blushing still.

He stared at her, mouth open. Yet, no words escaped his throat. Then a smirk grew on his face. “Looks like you like me more than you let on, un,” he chuckled slyly.

She blushed another tint of red but shook her head. She opened her mouth to protest further but her voice got caught. She glared at him as he chuckled a little louder. “Looks like she wants me to kiss her again, un!” he laughed.

She closed her mouth and bared her teeth at the blonde, blushing harder. “Shut up, baka!” she growled harshly at him.

He didn’t seem affected. In fact, he seemed encouraged. He walked slowly over to her and sat beside her on the bed. “You know you rolled down onto the floor with me, right, un?” he whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

She hated how much he was right; she did like him more than she wanted. She was speechless, unable to even utter a sound. He gave a breathy chuckle before continuing. “You were so cute, but it was funny when you fell,” he whispered lustfully into her ear, “Then you rolled over to me and snuggled onto my arm.” He demonstrated what she did by pretending she was him and he was her.

 She winced slightly but let him snuggle her arm for a little. He began working up his face until he looked directly into her eyes. That’s when she lost it. Kurisutaru pushed the other blonde away before he could even try anything further. “No!” she growled as she slapped him swiftly in the face, “You can’t just act like that! You can’t be a pervert and expect me to like you. I don’t work like that!”

Her hand stung and she could tell it hurt him even worse than her. His face was turned so a large red print in the shape of her hand was visible. It was bright, bloody red, making the rest of his face a pale white in comparison. She felt bad, yes, but she didn’t show it. She glared at him deathly, trying not to let the tears reach her eyes. She gritted hr teeth, eyes narrow and scary.

They looked into each other’s eyes, one furious while the other shocked. Her breathing grew heavy until she calmed it. Continuing to glare into her watcher’s eyes, Kurisutaru was suddenly aware of a new presence. She dared to look away to see Kisame at the front of the door.

The blue man looked confused and almost scared. “Sorry if I interrupted something,” the fishy man began, starting to leave at the same moment, “I see you already have a watcher so I’m not nee—”

“No,” Kurisutaru interrupted, standing up and walking calmly to the drawer with pad in hand, “I was getting tired of this bastard and probably would’ve killed him if you hadn’t come.” She locked the pad away in the drawer, putting extra chakra in it to keep it sealed.

Kisame’s mouth twitched in a smirk but quickly went back. “It didn’t look like that to me,” he murmured under his breath so she could barely hear.

“What was that?” she growled, giving him a death glare.

He winced and shook his head, smiling nervously. “N-nothing! Just that you probably would! Hehe,” he chuckled out, shaking slightly.

“That’s what I thought,” she huffed out, her headache coming back worse than ever.

She kicked Deidara out of her room and the three began their separate ways. Kisame followed as she walked into the kitchen to grab some food. She searched through the cupboards and pantries for food before coming to the fridge. All were empty. She sighed and looked at Kisame. “Doesn’t anyone ever go shopping for food or anything?” she asked, her eyes unreadable.

The blue man shook his head. “Usually we’re all out on missions,” he explained, “So none of us have time or really need it.”

She sighed. “I guess because I’m the newest member and don’t have a partner than that leaves me here and me to get food,” She sighed again before quoting Shikamaru, “How troublesome.”

She walked away, trying to fight the pain in her stomach as it growled out in hunger. Again she sighed. Kurisutaru made her way through the base skillfully, already knowing it’s windy paths like the back of her hand.

The blonde made her way to the front of the base and walked out, needing some fresh air. Before she walked out she took off her cloak. Just in case anyone was looking, of course. She ran happily until jumping into a tree. “Hey!” she heard Kisame call after her, followed by rapid stomping.

She couldn’t help but giggle. She felt so suddenly childish! She jumped down, landing squarely on his head, and then proceeding to jump into a different tree. She grabbed the branches of the tree and swung around it a few times before flying into the air. She did a few flips and landed perfectly on her knee as she came to a fallen log. She held her bowing position, smiling all the same for a minute. When the blonde finally got up, she realized she had been accidentally bowing to the Uchiha.

Kurisutaru scowled before quickly kicking the damned Uchiha straight in the balls. The supposed great weasel fell to his knees, groaning in pain. She pointed and laughed hysterically. “The great _Uchiha_!” she introduced with a wave, “The one that _killed_ his family. All but his _brother_! Has been brought down by the scoop kick of a _girl_!” She laughed even harder, is it was possible.

Kisame rushed to his partner and offered to help him up. Itachi just gave him a quick glare, his eyes black, and got up on his own. “I thought you’d be on your way by now,” Itachi said in his monotone voice.

Kurisutaru cocked her head at his remark in question. The blue man sighed and she looked over at him. “I forgot. I was supposed to tell you that you have a mission from Leader-sama.”

The blonde’s heart rose. Something to do _and_ a reason to get food! Her stomach growled a tiny whimper, though she clenched it to muffle the noise. “What kind of mission?” she asked calmly, trying not to show her excitement.

“You’re going to capture the Kyuubi,” Itachi demanded.

Her eyes narrowed in a small wince, but she kept them narrow to hide it. “I see,” she murmured, “And do  get a partner for this mission? Kisame?”

She looked at the fish man, expecting that her newest watcher would naturally be her partner. He shook his head and she sighed. “Don’t tell me,” she murmured ruefully.

Itachi spoke up, ignoring her comment. “You’re partner will be Deidara,” he hadn’t even finished the sentence when she groaned in annoyance.

“Why him?” she whined, not caring what side of her they saw.

“He just lost his partner and currently has no missions,” Itachi’s monotone etched her nerves, “He should naturally be your partner for this mission.”

The blonde snapped. Kurisutaru got nose to nose with the taller man, like she had once done with his brother. “You listen here, Uchiha,” she growled, “I don’t need you talking to me as if I’m an idiot. I have had enough of you Uchiha and your crap! I’m not going to take anything from you or your brat of a brother! Not now, not ever. It’s always been like that and it always will!” She grabbed the collar of his cloak, pushing his away slightly and pulling him off the ground, receiving an impressed gasp from Kisame. “You got that?” she hissed her final question.

The Uchiha closed his eyes and nodded slightly. When he reopened them they were red. She glared into the dark red pools of hate and sorrow. He heart lurched slightly at how much pain was in them. “Can you put me down now?” his voice was still a monotone.

She closed her eyes and looked away, making a small, annoyed noise. She lifted him higher before throwing him skillfully to her side as if he was trash. She didn’t even bother to see if he landed on his feet before walking into the hideout.

Kurisutaru’s mood was swiftly changed and she didn’t like it. She sighed and walked through the calm corridors the large base held. She wondered where the girly man was. Her question was soon answered.

A hand was placed over her mouth, drawing her backwards into something large but warm. She kept her mouth shut, trying not to gasp out into the hand. She closed her eyes, trying to figure out who her captor was. She drew up an elbow to hit him in the gut but was quickly suppressed by a second arm. Bound to her captor, she closed her eyes and went stiff, trying one last tactic.

She opened her mouth just slightly and stuck her tongue out, self consciously licking the hand that gagged her. She didn’t know why, but it felt like the right thing to do. The blonde expected a shocked reaction, but the body that held her only tightened its grip over her mouth, shoving her tongue closer to her mouth. But she was stubborn. She pressed her tongue to the hand and gently, almost tauntingly, licked it.

Kurisutaru froze, eyes wide open. She felt a wet surface lick her top lip. She felt around a little with her tongue, closing her eyes tightly. Her wet tongue found a squishy, equally wet surface protected by hard, dryer walls.

Her eyes shot open in surprise before she relaxed into a smirk. She withdrew her tongue and stomped onto the foot behind her. The body that held her stiffened, slightly tightening the grip it held her in. She smirked wide enough to reveal her teeth. She opened her mouth wide. Stomping on the other foot.

As soon as the hand loosened in pain, she bit her sharper than average teeth on the hand. “Nom!” she chuckled wickedly as she bit harder and harder onto the flesh.

“Kurisutaru, un!” she heard the familiar cry.

The arms had released her and she was free to move. She let go and stepped away, turning sharply to see who had embraced her so harshly. She smirked, her brows furrowed so she looked evil. She crossed her arms and tilted her head upward as the man before her tried to subdue all the pain she had caused. “See what happens?” she chuckled wickedly.

He looked at her, his eyes full of pain but no anger. She frowned, her mood dimmed again. She sighed putting her hand to her head. “What was all that about?” she asked in a half bored voice.

“I… umm,” Deidara began dumbly trying to find the answer.

“Whatever,” she dismissed the matter, “I don’t care. We have a mission to do.”

“I know, un,” he murmured.

“Then let’s go!” she said, her voice growing higher towards the end for no reason.

She ran quickly to the entrance of the base and out into the sunshine. The sky grew dark and she looked up. A dark grey cloud passed over the sun for a brief moment. She watched it pass as her partner ran out of the base.

She gave him a quick glance before running into the trees. They were a good ways into the forest when the other blonde spoke up. “Why are we running, un?” Deidara asked, a genuine confusion in his voice, “We can just take one of my birds, un.”

“Baka!” she hissed, making him wince, “They think you’re dead. It’d be better if it stays that way.” She looked back on her path, her eyes clouded with grief.

She had to capture the Kyuubi; no, she had to capture Naruto. She knew she had to purposely not complete this important mission. Kurisutaru was torn. Why did it have to happen so early? She shook the thoughts away, fighting the tears that were making its way to the rims of her eyes. She let one fall but quickly brushed it away. “You okay, un?” the worried question startled the blonde.

Kurisutaru looked over at Deidara with fearful eyes that gradually faded into sorrow. “I’m fine, Deidara-kun,” she murmured, not realizing the respect she just gave him.

He didn’t miss it, though. “So I’m not allowed to call you with such formality but you can, un?” he asked, more tired and curious than angry or teasing.

She looked at him, suddenly shocked. She shook away the clouds in her mind. “Sorry,” she murmured, “I won’t do it again.”

He jumped up so he was running by her side. “Who said I didn’t want you to, un?” he asked, smiling sadly.

She gazed at him for a moment, a faint red crossing her checks. “What got into you?” she laughed, trying to get her usual self back.

He smirked seductively at her, sending chills down her spine. “You did, un,” he laughed back.

She looked away, smiling softly. For the first time in days, she felt truly happy. She blinked slowly once. When she opened her eyes, they were at the Konoha main gates. The blonde’s smile immediately disappeared.

Memories of the times before she left came back. She struggled to catch her breath, though she didn’t know why. She felt curious eyes on her and looked at Deidara. “What’re we going to do?” he asked.

She blinked at him twice. “How am I supposed to know?” she asked, suddenly angry. Then she sighed. “Okay,” she murmured, “Here’s the plan.”


	4. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, the last line of this is kinda summarizes my ideas on this fic.

“They still don’t know I’m a part of the Akatsuki,” she admitted, “They still believe I’m loyal to them.”

Deidara nodded, waiting for her to answer his unspoken questions. “I’ll go in, acting as I would if I _were_ still loyal to this damn village,” she continued, “Knowing specific Leaf girls, they’ll probably throw a party in honor of the Sanbi’s life. He’s been revived, you know. They’ll invite everyone, even the Kyuubi. They hate me, so they’d probably invite me to humiliate me. I’ll use this as a cover. At their parties, if memory serves me right, they’ll play stupid games like Truth or Dare and, of course, Seven Minutes in Heaven. Stupid fangirls always wanted to get Sasuke to kiss them. They’d use this to try to humiliate me. If I’m lucky, I’ll get the Kyuubi knocked out or extremely drunk. Then I can volunteer to take him back to his house to rest. That’s when we’ll take him.”

The older boy stared at her in awe. “Just one question, un,” he raised his hand slightly, “You seem to have this planned out to the last detail, un. How do you know all this, un?”

She looked at him, confusion written all over her face. “I don’t know,” she murmured quietly.

There was a moment of silence. “My cloak’s in my bag,” she tapped the pouch that usually held her sketchpad, “The question is where will my watcher stay?”

She searched herself for a moment before analyzing the man before her. She sighed. “There aren’t many windows, which means I’ll have to wear a camera and microphone or you’ll have to come with me.”

They stared at each other intently looking for the answer. “We can do neither,” she continued, talking to herself, “So what can we do…?”

“Disguise?” the other blonde suggested.

Kurisutaru chuckled quietly. “How?” she laughed, “Sorry, but you have your scope on your eye as well as bangs that cover it. You also have that Anti Rock Village headband and do you even own cloths that aren’t for fighting? Not to mention that everyone knows everyone in the Leaf. You’ll never make it!”

He smirked at her. “We have a few days, un,” he said calmly, “I can wear a cloak or something over my regular wear for now until we get in, un. Then you can show me around so we can eat and you can help me get clothes that you think I’ll need, un. And we can do something about my hair and eye, un.”

He seemed excited and it made her excited. She nodded and took out the old cloak she had and put it over him. She touched his eye scope and looked at it for a minute before smiling. “We can take care of this now,” she smiled happily.

Deidara smiled back at her and reached up and took off the scope as Kurisutaru reached for her medicine bag. She quickly took a bandage out and set it on her lap, the end of it in her left hand. When she looked back she stared into _both_ his eyes. She blushed a little. “I actually don’t see anything we need to fix,” she murmured half to herself.

He smiled back at her, his eyes shining. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Do you think we should cover up your eye?” she asked nervously, “You’ll probably be posing as a traveler I took in if you go in with me, so it might help.”

He chuckled, nodding, “If it’ll help, un.”

She took the bandage in one hand as she untied his headband with the other. She didn’t need to explain, he knew why. She put the head protector into her bag with her red clouded cloak. Kurisutaru began wrapping his head with the bandage, covering his left eye with it. Then she stopped, reconsidering. The blonde unwrapped it so his eyes showed then wrapped the other eye. “What are you doing, un?” he asked curiously, stopping her hand with his.

“They might remember which eye you had covered,” she explained, escaping his grip and continuing what she was doing, “It might be better is it’s the other eye. Tone down the suspicion just a little.”

He nodded and she continued. She managed to create the perfect bandage so that it covered only where his headband would be and his right eye. She gazed directly into his left eye and smiled. The heat returned to her face and she managed to look away, trying to find something to place her eyes on. Her strange eyes landed immediately on the man’s hands.

She took one in her hands and looked at the mouth. A tongue stuck out and licked its lips, pulling back and shutting in a devious smile. She couldn’t help but smile at it. The blonde girl took another medical wrap and began wrapping the hand gently. “Can’t have anyone seeing the mouths on your hands, can we?” she asked, smiling sadly.

He nodded in understanding and held out his other hand in ready. Once she was done, she wrapped that one up to. “Should you wrap my chest to, un?” he asked as she came close to finishing.

The question startled her. There was an honest curiosity, though it held a little lust. She could understand, with a request like that. She tried to calm herself, feeling the heat rise even further to her face. “Why would I do that?” she asked casually.

“Just in case I need to take off my shirt, un,” he said mischievously.

She looked at him and laughed. “Why?” she repeated through her laughter.

“Well, you said there could be truth and dare games, un,” he suggested, looking a little offended.

She laughed even harder. “No, no!” she said, sweat-dropping, “I meant why would that be a problem?” She paused, suddenly realizing her mistake.

               Deidara smirked, taking this the wrong way. “You think so, un?” he chuckled, getting a little closer.

               She laughed nervously in response. “Well a lot of ninja are muscled, so I figured you’d be to,” she managed to admit.

               He got closer to her face. “I see, un,” he murmured, his eyes glinting with some mischievous emotion she couldn’t quiet put her finger on.

               She pulled back a little, just to gain distance. He pulled away as well and she reclaimed her space in the air. She closed his eyes and took off the cloak she’d given him before lifting up his shirt. Kurisutaru wanted to look away but couldn’t. He obviously wanted to show her something, so that comforted her just slightly. Yet the blonde’s heart beat quickly as he teased her.

               Finally he had taken it off completely and she looked at what he had meant. On his chest lay a tattoo and stitches that looked like they held together another mouth. She looked at it, nodding in understanding. “Do you think I should?” she asked, holding out the wrapping in one hand while she rested her head on the other.

               He shrugged but nodded casually. “It may help with my traveler disguise anyway, un,” he pointed out.

               She nodded and began wrapping up his chest. It felt strong and warm to the touch. She quivered slightly, trying to hold in a pleasurable sigh that wished to escape her lips. The wind blew, giving her a good cover for her quivering. She gulped back the sigh and took in a small breath, trying to regulate it.

               Kurisutaru finished with her hand flat on his chest. She pulled her hand back slowly, lifting her grip so her fingertips were still touching the white bandage. Before she could fully leave him, he grabbed her wrist. She looked back up, startled, into his eye.

               Blue eye looked into blue eye. Kurisutaru’s mouth was open, ready to spit out the words she couldn’t find. He smiled at her and let her go. It took a moment for it to sink in, but she finally brought her hand back.

               Deidara put his shirt back on as well as the cloak she gave him. As he went to bring the hood back up, she stopped him. He looked at her, confusion in his eyes. She studied him with a serious expression on her face. The blush had left her face, though she hadn’t realized it.

               At last, she took out his pony tail and put the band in her mouth. She carefully, almost cautiously rearranged his hair. She made it so the stubborn bangs, that wanted to go back to their place, move just enough so they didn’t cover his eye but instead the patched eye a little more. She let the rest of his long hair stay down, not knowing what to do with it while still making it not laughable.

She looked at him and smiled. Then she sighed and chuckled. “You’re hair is so difficult,” she laughed calmly.

He looked shocked at first then eased into a smile. “I bet your hair would be the same,” he chuckled back, putting a hand on her head.

The blondes smiled at each other, the same expression on their similar faces. Kurisutaru felt herself leaning in and could tell he was doing the same and pulled back sharply. Both expressions changed. One was fearfully and sorry while the other hurt with a false sense of happiness.

“Gomen,” she murmured so quietly she didn’t think he’d hear her.

He gave the slightest of nods, as if unsure she did speak, but got up and turned slightly towards the village. She stayed on the ground a moment, gathering up her things and organizing so her bag wouldn’t be so big. When she looked up, her eyes came to rest on a hand, stretched out towards her kindly. She smiled but brushed it away, feeling bad even as she did it.

Kurisutaru stood and picked the bag up off the ground. The blonde looked at the new Deidara and suppressed a giggle. He looked almost silly, but real enough to be fake. She chuckled at the stupid thought. She secured the bag around her and shook her head, pushing all thoughts away. “Now,” she murmured, getting them back on the thought of their current mission, “You’ll need an alias.”

He nodded, obviously understanding why. “I’m not good at names,” she chuckled, “But if I had to suggest one I’d guess it’d be Yamiko or something like that.”

He looked skeptically then smiled. “I can’t think of anything better, un,” he decided.

“Okay, Yamiko,” she chuckled, winking at her partner, “Come on. Let’s get you some help.”

He nodded again, chuckling. She let him lean on her like he was tired, maybe hurt, and guided him to the path that lead to the main entrance. Kurisutaru lead him calmly to the gate, checking on him every now and then. “We’ll go to my old place as soon as we can,” she murmured to him as they reached the gate, “I’ll pretend to ‘heal’ you there and then you can be okay. But, knowing the idiots here, we’ll probably be stopped so just play along.”

She could tell he smirked, “You don’t need explain all this, un,” he chuckled, “I know how to act, un.”

She smirked back, danger glinting in her eyes. “You sure about that?” she chuckled.

The blondes laughed for a bit before they came into full sight of the gate. They stopped laughing and walked up to the gate, pretending as if they just came from a long journey with one too many fights.

“Hold on there!” a voice stopped them just before they came to the gate.

Kurisutaru could feel Deidara tense up like he thought they had caught them. She only smirked and looked at one of the guards. “Hey,” she murmured, “How are you doing?”

The guard that had stopped them walked forward a little so she had a better view of him. “Kiba,” she finished.

He smiled at her, warmth in his eyes. “Welcome back,” the brown haired teen murmured, obviously holding back excitement and the urge to hug her.

She smiled and nodded. “Good to be back,” she said, her already scarred heart tearing once again.

Kiba held her up, questioning her briefly about the teen beside her. The dog boy let her pass hesitantly, obviously torn between following and staying for his duty. Kurisutaru, of course, didn’t really care. She would much rather just get to her house without any interruptions. Of course, knowing Konoha, that’s be impossible. But, it was nice to dream, wasn’t it?

The blondes walked the streets of Konoha as quickly as possible, trying to avoid any curious eyes but also trying to keep their act up. “Almost there,” she muttered as she saw her house in sight.

Of course Sakura had to jump in their way. “Kurisutaru-chan!” the pink haired girl cheered with fake excitement, “Where have you been? We got Gaara back from the Akatsuki! We so kicked some ass!”

The blonde found it hard to believe that Sakura beat Sasori all on her own and she knew it wasn’t true. Still, she put on a happy face and lied quickly. “That’s great!” she said with genuine relief, “I was out when I ran into this guy. Of course, I had to help him out a little at least. We’re going back to my place so I can heal him better.”

The pink haired girl nodded, smiling stupidly. “We’re having a party tomorrow,” Sakura explained, a sinister hint in her tone, “At Ino’s place. You know, by the flower shop? We were hoping you would be able to come! You can bring your friend, too, so it’s no problem.” The girl winked.

Kurisutaru was restraining so much from turning the offer down harshly. “Sure,” she decided almost immediately, “I’d be happy to go. How ‘bout you?”

Deidara nodded, careful not to speak. Sakura giggled stupidly. “Shy one isn’t he?” she cooed flirtatiously, “We’ll fix that tomorrow. Anyway, see you then, Kurisutaru-chan!”

“Bye!” the blonde said, eye twitching slightly at being called “-chan.”

She sighed in relief as they got safely to her house. “I told you she’d invite me only to humiliate me!” she bragged to Deidara as she fell onto the couch.

He sat on the floor and smirked. “This is joining better than I thought, un,” he agreed.

It hit her. They had forgotten one, vital part of him to change. Kurisutaru frowned as she looked at him. “You’ll need to stop saying un for this mission,” she murmured sadly.

Kurisutaru had grown so used to him saying “un” after every sentence. It would be kinda weird without it! He thought for a moment then sighed. “Let’s see if I can, un,” he murmured at last, “Hi, my name’s Yamiko, nice to meet you, un. Damn!”

Kurisutaru sighed. “Yamiko,” she murmured, trying to remember the name herself, “I guess you’ll have to just hide it if you can’t say it.”

“I know I can, un!” he insisted, hurt and anger obvious in his voice. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Kurisutaru-chan helped me out when I was injured in the middle of the forest, un.” He groaned and slammed his fists on the floor, making a loud bang. “Kuso!”

She sighed and shrugged. “Just say it,” she decided, “I don’t think they heard you talk too much in your fight, did they?”

He shook his head and she nodded. “Okay then,” she decided, “Go ahead and say ‘un’ if you have to. It’s not a big deal.”

He looked sad but nodded anyway. She walked over to him, kunai in hand. She quickly and easily sliced through the bandages on his arms. “This’ll be easier than unwrapping them all,” she explained as she gently cut the ones on his head.

He nodded, not really needing an explanation. When she was done, he went to take off his shirt but thought otherwise, remembering the only reason they did that in the first place. He pulled his shirt back down and laid on the couch while Kurisutaru went to throw away the torn bandages.

When she got back, she found the blonde looking for food that wasn’t there. “Where is all the food, un?” he asked her, slamming a cupboard.

She glared at him but contained her anger. “I ran out before I even joined the Akatsuki,” she murmured under her breath, “Didn’t think I’d need any more, anyway. Where was all the food back at the base? Huh!”

               He didn’t answer and she rolled her eyes. “We can always go out to get something,” she murmured, “That’s what I was planning to do before I knew you were coming, anyway.” She clenched her stomach as it growled again.

               Deidara smirked slightly then nodded. Kurisutaru dropped her bag on the couch and walked out the door, the other blonde at her heels. She looked from side to side, trying to think of somewhere to go. She lead the way through the crowding people and to the first place she thought of to get food: Ichiraku.

               The hungrier she grew, the faster her feet carried her. She ended up grabbing the other blonde’s wrist and running to the ramen stand. She ran through the crowd of people, pushing past violently to get to her food. The blonde pushed her way into the shop, stopping for a brief moment to rest. She sat on the stool, letting go of the other blonde’s arm. “The usual, please!” she struggled to find her breath.

               “Oi, Kurisutaru!” the old man greeted, “It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

               She chuckled, clenching her stomach. “It has, and I really need some ramen right ‘bout now!” she laughed.

               The man chuckled and gave her a bowl. “Then it’s on the house,” he treated.

               “Arigato!” she thanked before hungrily devouring her meal.

               It wasn’t even five minutes before the whole bowl was clean. “Keep the rounds coming!” she laughed, pushing the empty bowl aside, “Oh, yeah, and one for my friend, too.”

               The shop owner chuckled and nodded before asking what kind of ramen Deidara would want. In the end, he got what Kurisutaru was eating rapidly. By the time he got done with his first bowl she had already eaten seven and was working on her eighth.

               The two finished up, Kurisutaru with her tenth and Deidara with his second. “Ah!” the girl sighed, full and happy, “Thanks again, old man!”

               She took out her wallet to pay for all the ramen, ignoring the shop keeper’s earlier offer. She handed him some cash but he pushed away. “I said it was on the house!” he reminded her.

               The blonde shook her head and pushed the money towards him again. “Just take it, okay?” she urged, “My friend’s can be on the house. He didn’t eat as much.”

               The man hesitated but took the money. She smiled, knowing she would’ve won eventually. Kurisutaru stood and turned to go out of the shop, her partner at her heels. She was just about to walk out when she came face to face with familiar blue eyes.

               She gasped slightly, her face getting red. No more than inches away from her face was Naruto. The one she had joined the Akatsuki for. The one she was supposed to catch for the Akatsuki. She forced back tears of regret at seeing his happy face again. “Naruto-kun,” she breathed, unable to say anything else.

               He seemed shocked at first, but gradually realized what was happening. “Kurisutaru-chan!” he exclaimed, taking her in a tight hug.

               She blushed madly but hugged back lightly. He pulled away and she was in a small daze. “It’s been to long!” he laughed as he looked into her eyes, his own sparkling.

               Her heart flipped but landed flat on its face. She hated how innocent he was. It made it too hard not to love him. An idiotic grin made its way across his face. “I was looking for you for the past few days,” he informed her, his eyes growing sad.

               This didn’t help her reddening face. “Y-you have?” she asked.

               He nodded and looked at her seductively and Kurisutaru thought her face couldn’t get any redder. “Did Sakura invite you to her party?” he asked, touching noses with her.

               She pulled back a little and nodded, smiling. Kurisutaru smirked, trying to stop blushing so hard. She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head to one side. “How do you know she was going to ask me to come?” she laughed.

               He grinned and put a hand on his hip, poking his face while chuckling like he usually did. “I told her too,” he chuckled, winking at her.

               She joined in on the chuckling. The two laughed for a little while until she heard Deidara cough. Her mismatched eyes glanced at the artist and she sighed. “Naruto,” she introduced, “This is Yamiko. Yamiko, this is _Naruto_.”

               Deidara nodded, understanding the reason for her stressing the Jinchuuriki’s name. Naruto looked at him and put on a fake smile. “Yo!” he greeted.

               The older blonde remained silent, only nodding in response. “He’s not very talkative, is he?” Naruto murmured to Kurisutaru.

               She chuckled nervously. “He might be less shy later on,” she suggested, trying to hint to Deidara, but he just stare at her blankly.

               The blonde girl sighed and looked back at the Jinchuuriki. “See you later?” she tried to retreat quickly.

               “Later,” the fox demon agreed, waving as she left with Deidara at her side.

               She looked back to make sure he wasn’t looking and ran until they were out of sight. Her heart was thumping in her ears. She could tell her partner was having troubles keeping up and grabbed his wrist again, dragging him through the streets of Konoha. Panting, she made her way to her house.

               Kurisutaru stopped and let go of Deidara’s wrist. She continued panting as she dropped onto the steps up to her house. Hands went up to her face, masking her features. A silent scream escaped her mouth and she tense up in her little ball.

                She relaxed a little but stayed in her tight ball. A sharp poke to her shoulder made her jump out of her position. The blonde quickly looked at Deidara, suddenly remembering he was there. She looked around and back at him. “What?” she asked, slightly confused.

               He smirked. “So you wouldn’t just be his whore, un,” he reminded her of all the lies she’d gotten herself tangled in.

               She sighed, putting her left hand over her troublesome eye. “Yeah,” she sighed, blushing just slightly. She wanted to say more but didn’t know how to put it.

               Deidara sighed and dropped down by her. “How much, un?” he asked, looking away from her.

               Kurisutaru shrugged. “Enough to suffer seeing him again,” she suggested, not really knowing herself. She sighed and looked up at the dimming sky. “I really feel like I don’t know anything anymore,” she murmured more to herself then her partner.

               They relaxed there for a minute, the girl in a depressed state. Deidara stood up and looked down at her, who looked back tiredly. “You told me we were going to get me casual clothes, un,” he reminded her, putting out a hand to help her up.

               She smiled just slightly and took the hand, allowing him to help her. “Thanks,” she murmured so he could just barely hear.

               They went back to the hustle and bustle of the village and found a clothing store nearby. She pushed him in, laughing. They looked through at the clothes and picked out a few for him to try on. She sat on a chair as she waited from him to try the first set on.

               He walked out and she studied him in the new clothes. He wore a hoodie and a loose pair of pants. She smiled. “I’d wear that if you won’t,” she chuckled, liking the light grey blue shade of the jacket.

               He chuckled and went back into the dressing room, trying on the next set. He walked back out in a black shirt with what looked like a blood splatter on one corner along with the same pants. She nodded. “Good,” she murmured, “But more of a ‘tsuki hangout type shirt.” She coughed to censor out the red in “Red Moon.”

               He nodded, knowing what she meant, and went back in to try on the last shirt. He walked out in a blue shirt with an orange dragon reaching up to the top. She sighed and shook her head. “This is the only one I have a problem with,” she murmured.

               The other blonde just shrugged and went to take it off. He came back out in his original outfit with the cloak on. She took the clothes from his hands and looked at them. “I’ll buy the jacket and shirt,” she said pointing to the set, “and the pants for you. You can wear the jacket over the shirt and keep both of them.”

               He nodded and put back the other shirt. In the meantime, Kurisutaru looked for new shirts of her own. She picked up a few jackets and shirts as well as pants and walked back to the changing area. Deidara walked up to her and stared at all the clothes in her hands. She shrugged. “I figured while I’m buying stuff for you I can get some stuff for myself,” she stuck her tongue at him.

               He smiled but shrugged, taking his set and letting her go off to try on her own. She locked the door and quickly took off her shirt, sliding the first one she grabbed on. She adjusted the dark blue shirt before switching her pants for black ones. She looked at herself in the mirror the grabbed a grey jacket, sliding that on and zipping it up half way.

               The blonde studied herself before walking out and showing Deidara. He smiled and studied her, though he seemed to be more of checking her out than looking at her outfit. She rolled her eyes but just crossed her arms. “I like it, un,” he said in a flirtatious voice.

               She rolled her eyes and walked back in, switching her outfit for a different color. She kept her black pants, knowing she wouldn’t get much better than those. They were comfortable and she could still kick pretty high in them. She’d have to get a couple of the pair. She slid on a tight red shirt and a small black leather jacket over her shoulders. She blushed at how she looked and hesitantly walked out with her head down. “I feel like such a whore!” she murmured as Deidara stared at her with wide eyes.

               A little blood rolled down from his nose and she blushed majorly at the sight. She quickly went back into the dressing room and switched out of the slutty clothes.

 She put on a more comfortable selection, a long sleeved grey shirt and a blue tank top with only one strap over it. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She walked out to see Deidara had stopped his nose from bleeding. She chuckled a little and crossed her arms. He smiled, still blushing slightly. He nodded as he stared at her, approving the choice.

She went back into the dressing room and tried one last pair. The blonde slid on a red shirt with a black hoodie. She looked at herself and shook her head before walking out to receive Deidara’s opinion. He looked at her blankly and she sighed, going back to change into her original outfit.

Kurisutaru walked out with all the clothes in hand, putting the slutty outfit away as well as the red shirt and black hoodie. She took the other two outfits, grabbing another pair of pants, and walked to the checkout. She placed the clothes on the counter and the boy with her placed his. She pulled out her wallet and some money, putting the wallet back in her pocket. “Don’t even try it,” she murmured as Deidara moved to take it out of her back pocket.

“You hurt me, un,” he laughed, pulling back away from her.

She rolled her eyes and paid for the clothes before taking them all in her arms and walking out. “Was there anything else we were supposed to do?” she asked him as they walked back to her house.

The sky was getting darker and darker. Deidara shook his head and she nodded. They walked calmly back to her house. They reached it within good time, avoiding any others she knew easily. She put his clothes on the couch and went into her room to drop off her own stuff.

She tossed it carelessly onto her bed and walked back to see that Deidara had moved his stuff to the floor and was getting ready to crash on the couch. She glared at him but shrugged. She walked back into her room. “I’ll be in my room,” she yawned, putting a hand out in a wave.

“Okay,” he yawned back, getting into a comfortable position.

She fell onto her bed and got comfortable, ready for the next day and to fail on the mission.

Her mind quickly flooded with deep blue mist, swirling in the similar way that she’s seen chakra swirl. She walked aimlessly through the mist, looking back and forth for the material of her dream. “Kurisutaru-chan,” she heard her voice being called by a familiar voice, echoing like it would in a cave, “Kurisutaru-chan.”

She recognized the voice and her features lit up. “Naruto-kun?” she called out hopefully, her own voice becoming still in the mist.

“Kurisutaru-chan,” the voice seemed closer now, the mist gaining reddish veins.

She knew it had to be him. “Naruto-kun!” she called out happily.

The spiky blonde had appeared before her and she ran to meet him. “Come,” he whispered, his voice still echoing, “Kurisutaru-chan.”

She reached out to meet him, but her hand got lost in the mist as the image disappeared. Black smoke seemed to pour into the dream from an unknown source, leaving her in darkness. The inky red still stained the smoke, seeming to create almost cloud-like images.

There was a rush of smoke around her and she went to cover her head. When she relaxed her arms a little, she noticed that at each cloud there seemed to be a figure, staggering towards her. “Kurisutaru-chan,” one of the voices mocked, the source being a spiky-head figure outlines in a thin blue, something coming out of its back.

She recognized that beady eyes to be Kisame’s. She looked beside the first figure to see another, outlines in red, its red eyes seeming to mock her as the figure stared in silence. It had to be Itachi, that stupid weasel. She bared her teeth in a snarl. “What do you want?” she growled angrily, trying not to give away her fear.

She began to slowly recognize the figures around her, each by their color and outline. She drew back in a defensive stance as they began closing around her. Repeating her name, the figures seemed to tighten around her.

One walked in front of the others. Spiky hair and orange outlining made her first think it was Naruto. However, the purple eyes with circle-like lines in them made her think otherwise. But where had she seen those eyes? “Join us, Kurisutaru-chan,” the familiarity in the cold voice made her shudder.

“Why should I?” she growled back, narrowing her own eyes, her clouded one still covered by her hair. Even in her dreams, it was covered.

A gentle touch on her shoulder made her jump. Turning quickly on her heal, she gazed into bright amber eyes. She didn’t recognize them, nor the deep blue outlining of the figure. When it spoke, the voice was that of a female’s. “The same reason I did,” the voice said in such a sweet and understanding tone, yet it seemed hard and cold.

Kurisutaru’s eyes focused passed the figure to a familiar yellow outline and a bright blue eye. Her face would’ve been a bright red if it hadn’t drained of the color in fear. She shook for a second before turning and running, pushing passed the leader’s figure and into the deep smoke.

She ran endlessly, the smoke blending into nothing but black around her. Her heart beat in her ears. Tears made their way to the corners of her eyes. She ran faster and faster until she was out of breath. She dropped to her knees, closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath.

When the blonde opened them, Kurisutaru found herself back in her bed in her old house. She sighed in relief, happy to be in such a familiar surroundings. She relaxed in her bed, hoping to rid herself of the dream.

Strong arms wrapped around her and she gave a silent gasp. She looked down and blushed, noticing the mouths on the hands. She twisted her head a little to witness Deidara, sleeping soundly and breathing into her hair. Her face went the deepest red she could think of.

Kurisutaru watched as a mouthy hand went to her breast and blushed ten more times as red. She elbowed him in the stomach, making him withdraw in paid. “What was the for, un?” he asked, rubbing him stomach in pain.

“Why are you in my bed?” she ignored the question.

“I couldn’t sleep on the couch,” he explained, “so I came in to see if the bed was any better, un. I asked you if I could, remember?”

She turned so he didn’t see her bright red face. “Obviously not,” she muttered crossly, “But, whatever. We have a mission to finish today, don’t we?”

 

In front of Sakura’s house, they hung around in the clothes Kurisutaru had bought them and waited. The two blondes watched as people entered. They waited a few more people after Naruto had gone it; they wanted to make sure he was going to be there. Kiba and Shikamaru walked in and they entered shortly after.

Sakura greeted them almost immediately. The pink-haired girl gave a fake smile as she rushed in her in fake happiness. Kurisutaru looked around the party, seeing only fake faces and fake smiles as they all faked their eagerness. The only truth the girl saw was in Shikamaru, who was laying on the couch and nearing sleep as he complained about how much of a drag the party was. She smiled. He was the only truth in a fake world, it seemed.

“Let’s play Seven Minutes in Heaven, everyone!” Sakura called out in her fake happiness.

Everyone but a few of the girls groaned and sighed at the idea, but all of them eventually gave in, reluctantly. The stupid girl gathered an item from each guy in the group. Even Deidara—Yamiko—put something into the hat.

All the girls watched intently what guy put what in, hoping to get who they wanted. Kurisutaru was no different. She was excited that her plan had gone into motion so quickly. Who knew she’d be able to get this all over with, and within only a few hours!

“And last one to join the party goes first!” Sakura said, shoving the hat into Kurisutaru’s face.

“Do I have to?” she groaned, trying to contain her happiness.

The pink-haired girl nodded, a deviant glint in her eye. The blonde sighed and dug her hand into the hat, searching for the necklace she knew Naruto had put in. Her hand touched something smooth and cold with something as equally smooth but skinnier and longer attached and grabbed it gently.

Who knew her plan would go into action so quickly? Who knew she was about to get Naruto alone in a closet? Who could’ve even imagined that…

Her plan could end so quickly?

She gazed in slight fear as she stared at the clay spider in her palm. Before anyone could notice, she squished the spider in her hands. A hurt cry sounded from Deidara and she gave him a second of a glare before acting as if she didn’t mean to. “Sorry, Yamiko,” she laughed awkwardly, “I didn’t mean it…”

The two blondes were pushed into the closet. Sakura slammed the door shut and locked it. Kurisutaru acted along and tried to open the door, rolling her eyes as she did. “Damn it,” she sighed, not even having to act to show her disappointment.

“Sorry,” Deidara said sarcastically, “I didn’t know that getting me was so bad, un.”

She glared over at him, but her gaze softened as she realized he looked really hurt. “I was hoping,” she muttered under her breath, “that I’d get Naruto…”

“Why?” her partner interrupted, “So you could have him alone in the closet, all to yourself? …So you be all to himself?”

Kurisutaru blushed a little at the thought but shook her head and argued. “Of course not,” she hissed, “Because it was the plan, remember?”

“Right,” he rolled his eyes, “That’s the only reason…”

“Would you shut up!”

She heard the soft noise of cloth against wall and she thought he slid down into a sitting position. “What are we supposed to do in here for the rest of our time?” he asked, sounding irritated.

“Hey,” she snapped, “at least you got me and not one of those whores out there.”

There was a moment of silence and she wondered what had happened. Her shoulders were suddenly pinned against the wall roughly, a face right by her own. “Maybe I wanted a whore,” his voice whispered right by her ear, his breath making her shudder.

He brushed his mouth against her neck and she shuddered even more, one of his arms wrapping around her waist. She watched as the bandages began unwrapping, slowly starting to reveal him as Deidara. “W-what are you doing?” she asked in slight fear, not knowing what she was more afraid of: kissing him again or having him revealed to everyone.

“Taking a chance,” he whispered, the mouths on his hands nipping at her side playfully.

“Don’t,” she hissed, “not here, not in this closet!”

Kurisutaru grabbed his hands and moved them away from her side. Looking down, she made his lips, which were growing closer to her, touch the top of her head as she looked at his hands. He pulled away before gently placing his forehead against hers and looking down at his hands. Quickly, she wrapped them back up, shaking her head slightly. She looked back up to his eyes and sighed, fixing that, too.

She got him to pull away just as their time ran out. Naruto was the one to open the door, revealing the two other blondes standing face to face. Kurisutaru sidestepped towards the door and walked out calmly, not even turning to look back at either of them.

Naruto walked up beside her, matching her pace step for step. Catching Neji out of the corner of her eye, she sighed. “You had him spy, didn’t you,” she asked, glancing at him with her clouded eye.

He gave the faintest reactions and sighed, giving the smallest of nods. She shook her head in disappointment. “I can’t believe you don’t trust me,” she gave a truthfully hurt pout.

His eyes grew wide and she gazed at him with the saddest eyes she could fake. It hurt her to have to act around him, to fake and lie about everything. Still, she had to, for the sake of her true purpose. She just looked away from those bright blue eyes, which gazed at her with such emotion.

“N-no!” he tried to defend himself, “I trust you completely!” He paused for a minute, looking to his other side. “It’s him I don’t trust,” he added in last minute, obviously speaking about Deidara.

Her heart beat in her ears once and she stiffened for that single heart beat. “He’s a little unpredictable,” she admitted, “But he’s cool…” The word slid off her tongue strangely easy.

Naruto shrugged and they sat together as the others went on with their own turns. Naruto had to leave the unknown Akatsuki members when Hinata got him, though. But when the minutes were up, Kurisutaru opened the door to see an unconscious girl with Naruto just sitting and shrugging beside her.

Kurisutaru gave a sympathetic smile and helped him get Hinata out of the closet. They sat her by Kiba and reclaimed their own seats. The dog boy frowned at her and she just looked away, not wanting anything to do with the subject, yet. She was to busy with her current problem.

When she took her place beside Yamiko, he whispered in her ear. “So,” Deidara whispered, “is that the guy that confessed his love through a note, un? What an idiot…”

She pulled away just enough to give him a good fist to the cheek. He gave out a hurt laugh and she pulled back her punch. “Idiot!” she growled at him, her voice lined with humor, but still full of hate.

He seemed to realize this thin line and his hurt form relaxed and smirked. Meanwhile, the Seven Minutes game finished up, each person getting either who they wanted or exactly the opposite. Everyone began talking casually, but eventually they grew bored once more. This time, Ino suggested the Nervous Game.

Kurisutaru was skeptical at first but shrugged and reluctantly agreed. She was a little more weary of her plan this time, not so cocky. The guys wrote something on two pieces of paper, one for the hat that the girls were to pick out of and one as proof.

Ino shoved the hat in each of the girls’ faces. All the girls looked at the paper as soon as they got it and the choices began to narrow down. Hinata took Kiba, so that choice was happily taken from the blonde. Sakura picked Sai; the new Akatsuki member smirked at this but quickly covered it up. Deidara ended up being taken by Tenten. Kurisutaru shot him a look that she hoped he took to mean to act like his character would and to not do anything bad. He just looked to where Tenten was taking him, reluctantly.

Kurisutaru was second to last this time, the last being Ino herself. Still, she picked out of the last pieces and opened it, knowing that it was entirely possible she got Naruto. She held her breath, biting her bottom lip…

The familiar scribble of the familiar words brought a smile to her features. “Dattebayo!” she laughed out her friend’s catchphrase.

The taller blonde just smirked and walked over, picking her up bridal style and taking her into a closet. She chuckled. “A closet, eh?” she teased, “That’s kinda kinky~!”

He gave an obvious fake laugh and shrugged, pressing her against one of the walls. He poked her forehead. “Nervous yet?” he teased her.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Of course not!” she laughed.

He slowly began making his way down. “Tell me when you are,” he instructed.

She just smirked and leaned against the wall, letting his hands roam her body. She watched him as his breath became uneven. “You nervous, yet?” she asked him mockingly.

He took in a deep breath and let it out silently, getting his heart to beat a little more regularly. He smirked. “Of course not,” he mocked her.

She grinned. Her heart fluttered as he continued to touch and caress her body gently. “Naruto-kun,” she breathed the name of the one she was suffering for.

“Kurisutaru-chan,” he breathed her own name by her ear.

His body was pressed close to her own. She wrapped her arm around his neck, closing her eyes as he gently played with her breast with one hand, the other going down to her crotch. Her other hand began playing with the button on his pants.

Her heart beat in her ears. He was doing everything to her she wanted him to. The only problem was, it didn’t feel right. Luckily, he stopped his playing and just brought her in closer, pulling her by the waist. She did the same, wrapping both arms around his neck.

Their lips brushed and she sighed happily, though the slightest hint of sorrow slid its way into her voice. “I’m sorry,” she whispered the slightest before their lips touched.

The door opened and she looked over at Deidara’s figure from her spot sitting in the closet, an unconscious Kyuubi Jinchuuriki beside her. She gave a weak smile, a small tint of blush on her face. “I won,” she chuckled nervously.

She watched the other blonde smirk and knew he got what she meant. He helped her pick up their target and lug him out of the closet. The others had already gathered back in the living room. “I-I should take him back to his house,” she chuckled nervously, hoping no one would question it, “He’s passed out pretty good…”

“How’d he get knocked out?” the pink haired Sakura asked.

That was exactly the question she didn’t want to have to answer. Still, she had a ready reply. “He’s not passed out so much as dead asleep,” she chuckled. “We didn’t do much.”

Everyone stared at the three blondes for a second before, one at a time, shrugging it off. “See you later, Kurisutaru-chan,” Shikamaru said, being the first to shrug it off.

“Bye!” she said cheerfully, helping Deidara drag Naruto out of the house.

The two hurried to get out of the village with Kurisutaru leading the way but trying to help her partner with the heavy cargo. The entrance to the village was within view. The blonde girl gulped, hoping that a chance to fail was still within her sight with it.

They were so close. Her heart started pounding. She didn’t have a plan after that.


End file.
